Unpretty
by Lady-Ravenhawk
Summary: Sabriena returns to Japan to continue her training, but has a hard time finding a teacher. When someone finally accepts the challenge, he finds himself strangely drawn to her, despite her abrasive, materialistic nature. Leelee struggles to accept herself after being scarred by dragon fire and delves dangerously into the Old Ways, affecting not only herself, but Seventeen as well.
1. Judgmental

Leelee Dawson had never considered herself a vain person. She'd always been pretty, she knew that, but she never thought of herself as exceptional. She was tall and thin with big, dark eyes and black hair that she wore in dozens of long, tiny braids. She'd never given much thought to what she wore other than the fact that the color red looked fantastic on her and she had a fetish for stiletto heels. But all that had changed four months ago.

Leelee was now very conscious of the clothing she wore. She always made sure that she wore long pants and long-sleeved turtleneck shirts and she often found herself tucking her chin into the collar of the shirts, trying to hide. Because four months ago, Leelee had been in a terrible accident.

She'd never expected for her life to change so much when she left her home in Tennessee to travel to Japan for a year of study. She just wanted to see the world a bit before she graduated from high school. But in Japan, she befriended four other girls who had come to Japan from other parts of her country and they made a bond. A bond stronger than any of them had ever expected. Unknowingly, all five of these girls possessed an elemental power within them that they each eventually learned to bring to the surface, to use as a weapon, and fought of others of unimaginable power who sought to destroy their world. She found everything she'd ever wanted in Japan. She'd even found love in a very unexpected place with a very unusual man.

You see, she'd fallen in love with an Android named Seventeen. And he was everything to her. It was he who had saved her from that fire. He'd risked his own life to get to her. But by the time he untied the ropes and pulled her from the flames, it was too late.

She was healed by a Namek who was especially good at healing, but even he had been unable to undo all of the damage caused by the magickally-infused dragon's flame. The burns had healed over, but they left nasty scars in their wake. Shiny, wrinkled scars covered both of her shins and most of the left side of her body, all the way up the side of her neck, along her jaw to her ear. That was why she'd suddenly become so interested in clothes; she wanted to cover as much of those hideous burns as possible. She'd even gone so far as to stay in her apartment, making excuses to her friends about why she couldn't get out or go visit them. She didn't have to make many excuses these days. Catie was training like an animal day and night with her boyfriend Trunks and his father Vegeta. Jenny spent her every waking moment at Bulma's side, working on who knew what, but it was obviously important. Sabriena had returned to the states again and Lindsey was so busy spending time with Gohan before their baby arrived that no one had bothered Leelee much.

Seventeen had been taking such good care of her. He bought the groceries and paid the bills and did all of the errand running for her so she didn't have to get out in public. But the best thing about him was that he acted like nothing was different. He still kissed her and told her he loved her and that she was beautiful. But she didn't feel it.

She especially did not feel beautiful tonight. She stood in her bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. How had she ever let him talk her into this? Seventeen had practically begged her to wear the slinky red dress. It was his favorite and he wanted to take her out to dinner for Valentines Day. So she reluctantly put it on and stared miserably at the scars on her arms, shoulder and neck. She hated mirrors.

"Babe, are you ready? We're gonna lose our reservations if we don't hurry!" Seventeen called through the door.

"Just a second," she answered and pulled the matching red shawl over her arms. She sighed sadly and turned to the bathroom door and unlocked it.

Seventeen was leaning against the frame in his black dress shirt and pants, wearing a red tie with his silky black hair tied at the back of his neck. Her knees felt weak as she looked up at him. Ever since he'd transformed, she couldn't stop staring at him. He was so much taller now, his muscles bigger and well-defined…

"You look amazing," he grinned at her.

"Thanks," she muttered, looking at the floor, letting her braids fall to hide her face again.

"No," he said, grabbing her chin and tipping her face up to him. "We're not having any of that tonight. I want to see you."

She pressed her lips together, trying to keep them from trembling as he leaned closer and kissed her firmly, his hand sliding around the back of her neck. She kissed him back, closing her eyes tightly against the tears that threatened to fall.

Seventeen smiled as he pulled back from her. "See? You're all right. Let's go." He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her out of their apartment.

* * *

"Wow, this place is fancy" Leelee breathed, looking around the posh restaurant.

Seventeen sat back in his seat and smiled at her. "I hear they have the best lobster in all of West City."

Leelee flipped open the menu and blinked. "For that price, they better!"

Seventeen sighed and snatched the menu away from her. "Don't worry about the price."

A pretty waitress with long blonde hair approached their table and smiled. "What can I get you to drink?"

Seventeen was still staring at Leelee. "Chassagne-Montrachet, I think."

"And are you ready to order?"

"I'll have the butter poached lobster. She'll have the same," he said, never looking at the waitress, but holding out the menus to her between his index and middle fingers. He smiled at Leelee again.

The waitress glanced at Leelee, then took the menus from Seventeen and wound her way through the tables to the kitchen.

"I am so lucky to have you," Seventeen smiled.

Leelee snorted softly. "You're silly."

He leaned across the table towards her. "I can't help it. You're so goddamn beautiful."

Leelee could feel her face getting hot. "Well, at least you think so."

"I know so." He sat back in the chair as the waitress poured each of them a glass of wine and set the glasses on the table.

"Thank you," Leelee muttered.

The waitress turned to Seventeen, smiling sweetly at him again, ignoring Leelee. "Anything else I can get for you, sir?"

"Not at the moment," he answered, picking up his glass.

The tiniest of frowns pulled at her lips, but she nodded and sauntered away again. Leelee lifted her wineglass to her lips and watch the waitress over the rim. "She's flirting with you," she muttered before taking a sip.

"Who?" he asked, looking around.

"The waitress," Leelee answered.

"Nah," he said, wrinkling his nose. He took another sip of his wine as Leelee raised her eyebrows and gave her head a shake. He swallowed and said, "Doesn't matter anyway."

"You could have her, you know," Leelee said. "You could have any woman in this place."

He laughed openly at that. "You're crazy, Leelee. Honestly…"

She looked down at her lap, shaking her head again. He gently kicked her knee under the table with his toe.

"Come on," he chuckled. "You don't worry about her."

Leelee sighed. "Okay."

The waitress brought them their meals a short time later, accidentally dropping a pencil out of her pocket and bending way over towards Seventeen to retrieve it; she had undone the top couple of buttons of her blouse. Leelee rolled her eyes, but as the waitress stood and smiled again, Seventeen merely cocked an uninterested eyebrow at her.

* * *

Dinner was perfect; they talked quietly to each other as they ate slowly, holding hands across the table. For the first time in a long time, Leelee didn't feel self-conscious. They reminisced about the backpacking trip they'd taken across Europe the year before, about how they couldn't wait for the snow to clear so they could go camping and hiking again, about Leelee possibly enrolling in some online courses so she'd have something to keep her occupied, about researching more about magick and the Old Ways like Leelee had done before her accident…

The conversation broke off. Something panged in Seventeen's chest and he wished he hadn't brought the topic up.

Leelee stood. "I'll be right back. Restroom." And she hurried away from the table.

She slid the lock shut on the bathroom stall and sat down, covering her face with her hands. Fucking magick. That's what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. She loved her powers, the way she felt when she transformed, so powerful and graceful. But right now, all she wanted was to be a normal girl who didn't have to worry about a coming war or the three Fates or dragons. She had just about gotten control of her breathing when she heard the bathroom door open and slam shut again and a familiar voice spoke.

It was the waitress, speaking to a co-worker.

"Oh my god, did you see the guy at table eight?" she gushed.

The second waitress spoke. "That gorgeous guy with the long black hair? OH – EM – GEE! Yes, I did!"

"He's mine."

"Shut up! What'd you do?"

"Nothing that's worked yet, but dinner's not over. You wait. I know he's interested."

"How can you tell?" the second waitress gasped.

"I just can. Oh my god, did you see what he dragged in here? What the hell is he thinking?"

"I didn't notice. She ugly?"

"Uh, _yeah. _ You should see that scarred up nigger."

Leelee clapped her hands to her mouth, tears spilling down her cheeks. She'd been called a lot of things in her life, but never that.

"Stephanie!" the second waitress scolded.

"Well it's true! Seriously, it is _nasty _looking. Like crocodile skin. Oh, I thought I was going to puke when I saw him holding her hand. What on earth could a guy like that see in someone like her?"

"Still, Steph. You can't just say things like that."

"Why the hell not? That's just gross."

"She must've been in an accident or something," the second waitress said thoughtfully. "Poor thing."

"Poor thing is right. UGH! If something like that happened to me, I'd rather die than look like that. Fate would've been kinder to just kill her. Seriously."

"You're such a bitch."

The first waitress snorted with laughter. "You act like you didn't know that already." She sighed thoughtfully. "You wait. I'll slip him my number. Works like a charm every time."

"If you snag this one, I will worship the ground you walk on. Damn, he is hot."

The waitresses giggled together and left, letting the heavy door slam behind them.

Leelee couldn't hold back anymore. She sobbed as she hugged her arms to her stomach, leaning over her knees. Why? How could someone be so full of hatred towards someone they didn't even know? Judging her on her appearance… They didn't know her. She hated her scars more than ever as she bawled in that bathroom, the waitress's words echoing in her mind.

* * *

"That took you a minute," Seventeen snickered when she finally returned to the table. "You want some dessert?"

Leelee sniffled as she sat back down and pulled her shawl over her arms again. "Let's just go home."

"Hey," he said softly, leaning towards her. "You okay?"

She shook her head and looked down at her lap again, still fighting tears of embarrassment.

"Leelee, what happened?" he asked, concern showing on his face. He didn't understand what could have upset her so.

"That waitress," Leelee answered.

"Oh, she's just being a flirt," he answered. "Don't worry about her."

"She…" Leelee broke off as the waitress approached their table again.

"Anything else?" she asked. "Dessert, perhaps?"

"Just the check," Seventeen said. He waited until she had walked away. "Baby, tell me what's wrong. If you think I'm interested in her, you're so far off."

"She thinks she can steal you from me," Leelee answered quietly, still not looking up. "She said she was going to give you her number."

Seventeen snorted. "Oh, whatever."

Leelee looked up at him. "I heard her in the bathroom." Her eyes were brimming with tears. "You should'a heard what she called me."

He waited for her to continue.

"Seventeen," Leelee said in a shaking whisper as she leaned closer across the table. "She called me the n-word."

Seventeen's eyes narrowed and his stomach dropped. "Leelee," he said slowly, "are you absolutely sure that's what she said? You're sure she said it about you?"

She nodded her head earnestly. "She called me a scarred up…" she mouthed the last word.

Seventeen threw himself back against the chair, a fist pressed to his lips as he began to bounce his knee angrily. He squeezed his eyes shut tight for a minute and opened them again, glancing around the restaurant, unable to focus on anything. He tapped the fingers of his free hand on the tabletop impatiently. "I'll kill a bitch," he whispered dangerously against his fist.

"Seventeen, I…"

"You let me handle this," he stated firmly. His cold blue eyes burned into her dark brown ones for a moment before he squeezed them shut again. He snapped them back open, scanning the restaurant for the waitress. He was breathing deeply through his nose, trying to keep his temper in check.

The waitress returned to the table, smiling at him, and handed him the small black folder with the bill inside. He quickly flipped it open, his lips pressed to a hard line, and looked at it. Just as Leelee had said, the waitress had written her phone number across the bottom with little hearts around it.

"I'm sorry," Seventeen stated loudly, drawing the attention from the surrounding tables. "There seems to be a mistake."

"M-Mistake?" the waitress asked.

Seventeen nodded. "I thought this was a restaurant, not a whore house."

The waitress blinked at him in disbelief.

Seventeen stood and stared down his nose at the pretty waitress. "You have some nerve. I'm here with my girlfriend and even if I wasn't, I would never give a troll like you a second glance." He yanked the bill out of the envelope and held it up. "So how much do you charge per hour?" he asked loudly as the manager rushed over.

"Sir, is there a problem?" the manager asked nervously.

"You're damn right there's a problem," Seventeen said, his voice loud enough to carry across the entire restaurant, which had fallen completely silent at his outburst. "I don't appreciate being hit on while I'm out to dinner with my girl. And I _especially_ don't appreciate her coming back to our table in tears because some prejudiced, bigoted waitress decided to talk shit about her." Seventeen coolly held the receipt above the flames of the candle on the table, setting it on fire. "And your establishment will _not _receive a penny of my money. You understand?"

The horror-struck manager nodded his head and glared daggers at the waitress, who looked almost as mortified as Leelee felt.

Seventeen tossed the curled, burnt receipt on the table and reached for Leelee's hand, pulling her from her seat. He looked back at the waitress once more. "You ever use a racial slur like that again, I'll break your goddamn face." And with that, he wrapped his arm around Leelee's shoulders and marched her out of the restaurant.

Seventeen and Leelee walked slowly down the icy sidewalk, neither saying a word. They were both so lost in their own thoughts of their ruined Valentine's Day. The snow was falling lightly as they walked, their shoes leaving wet tracks in the fresh powder.

"I'm so sorry, baby," Seventeen said softly.

Leelee shrugged. She couldn't get it out of her head. She physically hurt inside as she thought about the things the waitress said. The street was pretty deserted in the late evening cold. Only a couple young men stood on the sidewalk, smoking cigarettes with their coats pulled tight around them.

A strong wind picked up as Seventeen and Leelee neared the men and it caught her shawl, ripping it from her arms.

"I'll get it," Seventeen said and trotted back the way they'd come to retrieve it for her.

Leelee turned to watch him, rubbing her arms against the cold, her scars stinging. Cold really made them hurt.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" one of the men spoke, eyeing her scars.

Leelee looked at the sidewalk, her braids falling across her face again. "I got burned," she answered softly.

"Yeah, no shit!" he said. "Wow." He stepped closer and grabbed her arm, looking at her skin. "The fuck…"

"Hey! Get your hands off her!" Seventeen barked as he walked back to them, Leelee's red shawl in his hands.

The guy released his hold and held his hands up. "Sorry, dude. It's just not every day you get a peek at the freak show for free."

Seventeen's eyes were blazing with anger. He harshly handed the shawl to Leelee, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirtsleeves and rolling them up.

"You wanna brawl?" the guy challenged. He matched Seventeen in height and outweighed him by at least thirty pounds.

"Seventeen," Leelee said softly, but he ignored her, stepping closer to the guy who flipped his cigarette butt in Leelee's direction.

That did it. Seventeen snapped. He rushed the guy, punching him hard in his stomach, doubling him over. He quickly brought his elbow down on the guy's spine, slamming him to the cold cement. The guy's buddy jumped on Seventeen's back, but Seventeen spun around and threw himself backwards, crushing the guy between himself and the lamppost, which bent upon impact. Seventeen took a step forward and the second guy slid to the ground, his arms wrapped around his ribs.

"Pieces of shit," Seventeen spat. He smirked and looked up at Leelee, who was crying again. "Leelee?"

"It's always going to be like this," she whispered as he walked to her again. "I… I can't handle this."

"Don't worry about these people," Seventeen said, taking her shawl and draping it over her shoulders for her.

She shook her head, tears falling from her eyes again. He sighed deeply and hugged her to him. A knot formed in his throat. He just couldn't understand the stupidity and hatred some people carried. She was beautiful to him. It didn't matter if her body wasn't perfect. Leelee was the most forgiving, affectionate, loving person he'd ever known. And for people to treat her this way…

"You wanna go home?" he asked.

She shrugged. What she really wanted was someone to bitch to. Someone who would listen, who'd let her rage and cry. And not Seventeen. Men always have this overwhelming urge to fix things when their wives or girlfriends complain, when all they really need to do is shut up and listen.

He sighed. He knew what she wanted. "Go talk to them."

"I haven't seen any of them in months," Leelee answered, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"And that's why they'd be happy to see you," Seventeen said. "Go see Lindsey. She'd love to see you. She's been cooped up there on Mount Pazou for awhile anyway."

Leelee sniffled. "Okay," she agreed quietly. "What about you?"

Seventeen smirked. "I think I'll go ruin my sister's evening."

Leelee laughed lightly. "Okay. I'll meet you at home in a couple hours?"

He nodded and kissed her forehead, then her nose, finally kissing her fiercely on the lips. "I love you."

"Love you," she answered.

* * *

Goku was surprised to hear a knocking at the front door of his son's house. Gohan had taken Lindsey out for a Valentine's dinner that evening, leaving their house unattended. Goku had shown up just before they left, unaware that it was even a holiday, and he was still sitting on their couch when they headed out into the snow. And that's exactly where he was now, lounging on the couch, his bare feet propped up on the new coffee table, watching TV.

"It's open," he called. Goku never bothered with things like locking the door.

Leelee stepped through the door with a blast of cold air.

"Hey kiddo!" Goku grinned. "What are you doing here? Haven't seen you in a long time."

"Is Lindsey home?" she asked, hugging the shawl closer around her.

"No, she's out with Gohan. What's up?" he asked, still leaning far back into the couch cushions with his hands behind his head.

"Oh," Leelee said sadly. "It's… It's nothing. Tell her I said hi." She turned toward the door, but Goku clicked off the TV and sat up, dropping his feet to the floor.

"You okay?"

She paused and closed her eyes, sighing as she rested her fingers on the doorknob. "I'm…"

"Come talk to me," Goku said kindly. "Something's eating at you."

She let her fingers drop from the doorknob and turned to look at him again. He smiled and said, "I won't bite. Swear."

She crossed the room and sat on the couch next to him, pulling her shawl tight over her arms again. She'd never talked with Goku a whole lot, but she'd been around him enough to know he was a pretty understanding guy. Lindsey sure did adore him.

"So what's up?" Goku asked, turning on the couch to face her, propping one elbow up on the back of the couch.

"I just don't understand how some people can be so mean," she muttered miserably.

He tipped his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

She explained about the waitress and what she'd overheard the waitress say in the bathroom.

"Wait, she called you a what?" he asked.

Leelee drew a shuddering breath. "A nigger."

Goku screwed up his face in confusion. "I don't understand. Is that bad?"

She stared angrily at him. "Of course it's bad! What kind of a question is that? Don't you know how hurtful that is?!"

He held his hands up in front of his chest. "Whoa! Sorry! I've just… never heard that word before. I don't know what it means!"

She blinked at him, totally confused. "How can you not know what it means? EVERYONE knows what it means."

"Never heard it before," Goku said simply. "I guess I don't hang around people who talk like that."

She sat back against the couch, totally bewildered.

He waited a moment before he asked, "So can you explain it to me?"

"It's a derogatory term," she answered. She couldn't believe she had to explain this. "It's used towards people with black skin. People like me. Like having dark skin is shameful or dirty or worthless."

"What?" Goku gasped. "But, Leelee, there's nothing wrong with you. Who cares if you're black? I've never seen you as any different from the other girls. I mean, come on! Have you ever seen a more different group of people? Heck, I'm not even human! Piccolo's green for crying out loud. Can you imagine what people would say about him?" He snorted. "I've never heard of such a stupid thing in my life; treating someone different because of the color of their skin. What a ridiculous idea."

She chewed the corner of her mouth, trying not to cry again.

"Hey," he said softly, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Don't you ever let someone get you down because of that. You're smart. And you're fun to be around. And you're darn useful in a bad spot, too. If it hadn't been for you, we would never have been able to find Paige or prepare for that last battle. _You _are the one who did all of that for us. To hell with anyone who thinks you're less of a person because of the color of your skin."

She swallowed hard. "Thanks, Goku."

"Seventeen better have told her off," Goku said sternly.

"He did," she sniffled.

"Good. Cause I don't feel like getting out in the cold to do it myself."

She giggled at that.

"There ya go," he said. "You're much prettier when you smile."

Leelee felt her face go hot.

Goku sat back on the couch again and picked up the remote. "You wanna watch some TV with me?" He clicked the TV back on and lightly tossed the remote on the coffee table and propped his feet up again.

"What are you watching?"

"I'm laughing at old videos of Mr. Satan," he answered. "It's some kind of marathon they're running about him. It's pretty funny."

She shrugged. "Sure."

"It's warm in here," he said. "You can take that thing off your arms."

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

Goku frowned at the TV. "You know, no one cares about your scars, either. No one has ever treated you different in the past and they're not going to start now."

She closed her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks.

"That's about as silly as that woman calling you names," he said.

"I just really hate the way they look," she whispered.

"It doesn't change who you are, Leelee."

She frowned and nodded, but pulled the shawl closer around her again.

He sighed. "All right. Suit yourself. But your friends still love you for who you are, not what you look like. You need to remember that."

He turned his attention back to the TV and dropped the subject. Leelee was grateful that he let it go that easily and she wiggled closer to the armrest of the couch to stare blankly at the idiot growling on TV as Goku's words rolled around in her mind.


	2. Single's Awareness Day

Leelee wasn't the only one having a shitty Valentine's day. Halfway around the world, Sabriena Schuler was waking up to a very bad day. First she awoke to find her bed empty, her boyfriend nowhere in sight. She grumbled to herself as she realized he'd never even come to bed the night before. His side of the bed was still made and his pillow left perfectly in place; she knew he hadn't made up his side of the bed. He never made the bed. She sleepily got out of bed and had to immediately grab the bed for support as her leg slid out from under her. She'd stepped on one of his empty beer bottles left on the floor. Cursing her aching ankle, she kicked the bottle away and tromped to the bathroom. She sighed and stomped her foot, immediately regretting _that,_ at the sight of the bathroom. It was Tumbler's turn to empty the bathroom trash and to wash the laundry, not hers. The small trashcan was overflowing, damp towels covered the floor and various articles of their clothing hung from the hamper. She turned away from it and hastily brushed her teeth and put her contacts in.

She stared at her reflection, sighing again. She was getting really sick of this routine. Tumbler staying out all night. Tumbler never doing his share of the chores. Tumbler breaking more promises. She pulled her hair straightener from the drawer and plugged it in and ran a brush harshly through her highlighted blonde hair. She dropped the brush on the sink and stared at herself again, concentrating, letting her frustration with Tumbler bubble up… She wanted to power up… to see her hair turn to bright, flowing rays of light, her eyes to become that brilliant yellow that her friends could see…

She couldn't do it. She'd been trying for months to power up. She just couldn't do it on command. Only when she was pissed or scared or there was a great need for her to protect herself. Then, and only then, her powers came through. Her friends could do it. They could power up whenever they felt like it. Hell, Jenny would do it for fun.

She swiped foundation across her cheeks and her nose, staring hard at herself as she blended it across her skin. Maybe she needed to train with someone. After all, Catie had been training with Vegeta and she had turned into a bad ass in battle. And not to mention, she looked fantastic. Sabriena scrunched her nose and grabbed the eye shadow. She didn't much like the idea of Catie being prettier than she was. But she couldn't deny what fantastic shape Catie was in. Or Jenny, for that matter, and Jenny had two babies back to back. She lined her lips and finished her makeup, then ran the iron over her hair until every strand was perfectly straight and glossy. She huffed as she unplugged it and returned to the disheveled bedroom.

Tumbler was never going to pitch in and help her. Not in keeping up on the laundry and not in helping her better herself. There was no one here to train with. No one, unless you counted Kirill, but the only training he offered was in firearms. And she was more than proficient with a weapon now. But those guns had failed her in battle… They'd stopped working once her opponents directed their magick at blocking the bullets. Even the .50 caliber couldn't penetrate their protective spells at damn near point blank range. She shook her head as pulled on a fresh pair of designer jeans and a tight fitting green top that clung to her exaggerated curves. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, standing up straighter and admiring herself. Catie may be in better shape, but even she didn't have such a pronounced hour-glass shape. Sabriena sighed and looked at the floor again.

She started picking up random pieces of clothing, tossing them towards the bathroom. This was ridiculous. She picked up a pair of Tumbler's jeans and jumped when she hear the sharp chink of glass against the hardwood floor. She tossed the jeans aside and peered down at her feet.

Mother. Fucker.

She carefully picked up the glass pipe, staring at it in disbelief. He was fucking using again. And it wasn't just weed this time, like he'd claimed in the past. This was a crack pipe and she knew it.

Sabriena seethed. More broken promises, more lies. Did he think she was really that stupid? It seemed like he was the stupid one, leaving something like that in his pocket. She gripped it in her hand, getting ready to shatter it against the wall, but she hesitated. No. She was not going to destroy the evidence. And she wanted more. She wanted to shove it all in his face and make him fucking explain himself for every single piece she found.

She tore the room apart, digging through every sock drawer, every shoe box, every piece of clothing she could find. She had just about given up hope of finding anything else and had just thrown herself on the floor when something under the dresser caught her eye. She got to her knees and pulled the heavy piece of furniture from the wall.

The plastic bag filled with white powder was about the size and shape of a common brick. A digital scale was sitting on the floor next to it. She could feel the muscles in her jaw seizing up as she stared at it. She tipped her head side to side, cracking her neck. This was it. The last fucking straw.

She heard the bedroom door close and Tumbler spoke, "The hell happened in here?"

She grabbed the brick and the scale and stood to face him. "You wanna explain these?"

He blinked for a second, then lifted his shoulders and said, "I don't know where those came from."

"Really?" she asked, fixing him with a bored stare. "Cause I sure as shit didn't put them there."

"I'm holdin' 'em for Kip," Tumbler said, shaking a cigarette out of his pack and lighting it.

"Don't give me that shit," she snapped. "You're using again!"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Don't start in on me. I'm tired."

"Yeah, well, maybe if you ever came to bed instead of getting high with your buddies all the damn time," she snipped.

"I don't see you getting up their asses," he muttered and sat on the bed, the cigarette hanging from his lips as he untied his shoes.

"They aren't my boyfriend!"

He shook his head and dragged on the cigarette, ashing it into one of the boots he'd just taken off.

"Do you have to smoke in here? You know I don't like that."

He dragged deeply and blew the smoke at her. "Do you have to bitch in here? You know I don't like that." His gray eyes stared at her unemotionally.

"You're just never going to grow up, are you?" she said softly.

"No," he answered. "And I thought that was the way you wanted it."

She cocked an eyebrow questioningly.

He dragged on his cigarette again and scratched at the thick line of facial hair that ran along his sharp, square jaw. "You like to party and drink and shop and be fuckin' lazy. That doesn't sound grown up to me. So if I wanna go out with my boys, you can't judge me. You can take that shit somewhere else."

"Maybe I will," she threatened.

He snorted. "You think there's another man in this world that'll put up with your shit? Go ahead, honey. I'd like to see it."

She scoffed. "Have you seen me?" she asked, cocking her head to the side and pointing at herself. "You see this? I can have any man I want! There are men out there who would _die _to be in your shoes."

"Until you open that goddamn mouth of yours."

She stared at him in complete disbelief. "You fucking piece of shit."

He waved an arm her direction as if trying to shoo her away. "Go shopping until you can calm your tits. I ain't listenin' to this shit."

"Calm my tits?!" she shrieked. "I…" She couldn't form words. She was holding the coke and scale up, her arms shaking. "Why the fuck do you need this much anyway?"

"Cause you're an expensive bitch," he muttered, laying back on the bed, one arm tucked behind his head as he continued to smoke and flick the cigarette ash into his boot.

Her breath caught in her throat. "You're _dealing?!"_

He raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell d'ya think I get the money to buy you all that crap you like?"

"Working for Yorgi!" she cried. "Just like we all do!"

He sat up suddenly. "Yeah, well, in case you didn't notice, there ain't been a lot of work lately! We haven't had a boost in over a year!"

"So?"

"Soooo the money's run out! I had to do something!"

She narrowed her eyes. "You made _hundreds_ of thousands of dollars off that last boost. There is no way you spent it all."

He shrugged.

"JASON!" she snapped at him.

He flinched at the sound of his real name. "Don't call me that."

"How could you spend that much in a year? That was over a quarter of a million dollars! What the fuck have you been buying?!"

"Oh, gee, I dunno," he answered sarcastically. "Couldn't be that diamond bracelet you're wearing, could it? Or the string of pearls you demanded for New Year's. Or all that goddamn Louis Vuitton luggage you just had to have."

She sneered. "And the drugs. Don't forget how expensive they are. And the lawyers. Court fees. Rehab."

"Shut up, bitch."

"I'll show you bitch," she hissed and grabbed a pocket knife off the dresser. She dropped the scales on the floor, but kept the plastic-wrapped powder and headed for the bathroom.

"Whoa! Wait! What are you doing?" he cried, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and getting to his feet.

"POURING THIS SHIT DOWN THE TOILET!" she screamed.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" he shouted.

She turned to him. "You watch me," she said in a deadly voice. "I'm pouring this shit out and you're going to treatment. Again. And you're staying until you get your shit together. If you need money, you do it the right way."

"Oh, what? You want me to be a working stiff like your dad? Go work at the power-plant sixty something hours a week to support your shopping habits? No thanks."

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't you talk about him like that."

"What's the matter? Truth hurts, don't it?"

"Not as much as this is gonna hurt," she snapped, pointing at the bag with the blade of the knife and headed towards the bathroom again.

"Stop!" he shouted and grabbed her wrist, twisting it back.

"Let go of me!" she cried, leaning away from him.

"Put the knife down," he commanded, squeezing her wrist harder. "PUT IT DOWN!"

His grip on her wrist was so strong that her fingers loosened on the handle involuntarily. It fell to the floor and he kicked it under the dresser.

"Give me the coke," he ordered.

She shook her head, fighting tears, refusing to release the plastic bag. If she let it go, she was going to have to let go of everything. She couldn't put up with it anymore. Giving him the drugs back meant it was over between them. Did he not know the things she had done to protect him? Didn't he know what she went through to bring him back after he was killed by Sanath's storms? Didn't he see the pain and fear in her eyes as she had held him, watching him take his last breaths? Their relationship had always been somewhat rocky, on again off again, but they'd always wanted the same things. Parties. Cars. Money. Booze. But, now…

Sabriena let the package slip from her fingers and hit the floor.

"There," Tumbler said simply, tipping his head to the side. He bent and picked up the bag and tucked it under his shirt. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Don't bother," she said dully. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"You're right," he said, grabbing the side of her face and kissing her temple. "It doesn't matter. I'll put this away, give you time to get calmed down, and we'll go out for breakfast."

She was numb inside as she gave a small nod. She watched him leave the room, then hurriedly locked the door. She peeled back the sleeve of her left arm. Bruises were already forming there. She blinked the tears away and tugged her sleeve back down, then grabbed her luggage from the closet and threw it on the bed.

She had to get away from here. Away from him. She couldn't deal with it anymore. She hastily stuffed every piece of clothing, makeup, jewelry, and shoes into the five big suitcases. She stashed her pistols and rifle in the tallest one and grabbed her ammo bag. She stripped the room as quickly as she could. Her mind was racing. There was only one place she could think of to go. She grabbed her cell phone from her pocket and slid her fingers across the screen, hoping her friend was still awake.

* * *

"Hey Dad," Gohan said as he and his wife stepped through the front door of their house. "You still here?"

Goku jumped at the sound of his son's voice and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, guys," he laughed, sitting up and stretching. "I must've dozed off. Did you have a good time?"

Gohan nodded and took Lindsey's coat from her shoulders to hang it in the little coat closet. "Dinner was good. There was a long line to get in though."

"Tonight probably wasn't the best night to try to go out. We should've known better," Lindsey said. She rested her hands on her slightly protruding belly. "I don't think they were too happy with us. I don't think 'all you can eat' is supposed to be taken as a personal challenge."

"Then they shouldn't say all you can eat," Gohan answered, shutting the closet door.

"Yeah, those places always get irritated with me, too," Goku said thoughtfully. "Did they say something to you Gohan?"

"It wasn't me," he answered, sitting down on the couch beside his dad and pulling at his tie. "It was her."

"You?!" Goku laughed, blinking at Lindsey.

"I have never eaten so much in my life," Lindsey groaned, sitting down in the recliner near the front windows. "It's this Saiyan baby! She's so hungry all the time!"

"He," Gohan corrected her.

"She," Lindsey shot back.

Gohan growled softly as he reached for the remote.

"Anyway," Lindsey said, looking to Goku again, "no, they didn't say anything. But they just seemed sort of… impatient."

Goku was laughing. "Ah, don't worry about it."

"I am so full," Lindsey groaned, flopping her head back against the recliner.

"That's not a baby," Gohan said softly to his dad, "that's just all the food she ate."

"Oh, shut up, Gohan."

The men on the couch snickered at her and her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and hit the ignore button. "Too full to talk," she grumbled.

"Who was it?" Gohan asked.

"Sabriena. I'll call her back later."

They all settled back to watch TV for a bit. Lindsey kicked up the footrest of the recliner and had just about drifted off to sleep when her phone rang again. She grumbled as she answered.

"Hey, Lins, did Sabriena try to call you?" Catie asked.

"Yeah, I was getting ready to call her back here in a bit."

"She needs Goku to come get her," Catie said. "Can you get a hold of him? Bulma called his house, but Chichi said he was with you."

"Why's she need him to come get her? She coming to visit?"

Gohan muted the TV and listened to Lindsey. "They must be looking for you," he said softly to his dad. "Probably gotta go get Sabriena again."

Lindsey glanced at them and nodded.

Goku got to his feet, stretching, then started to pull on his boots.

"She broke up with Tumbler," Catie answered. "Like, for good this time. She wants to come stay with us."

"With who?" Lindsey asked nervously. She really didn't feel like having another house guest at the moment. It was bad enough that Goku was there all the time, checking on her and the soon-to-be-baby. She didn't need Sabriena in the mix.

"She's coming to Capsule Corp," Catie said. "Bulma said it was fine. She can have Jenny's old room. It all works out."

"Any idea what Tumbler did?" Lindsey asked.

"No idea. But she sounded kind'a upset, so if you could get him to hurry?"

"Sure thing. Have her call me again once she gets settled in."

"Will do."

Lindsey hung up the phone. "Sorry, Dad."

"For what?" he asked, getting his heavy coat from the closet and shrugging it on.

"That we use you to go get her all the time," Lindsey muttered.

"I don't mind," he chuckled. "Am I bringing her back here?"

"Capsule Corp," Lindsey answered. "Thanks for doing this."

"I really don't mind," he answered, zipping his coat. "Don't worry so much, Lins."

"She just coming to visit?" Gohan asked.

"Catie said Sabriena and Tumbler broke up," she answered.

Gohan crossed his arms and leaned back into the couch cushions. "Good. I never understood what she saw in him."

"What'd he ever do to you?" Lindsey asked.

"He put that needle in your arm," Gohan answered crossly.

"Technically, that was Kip," she said. "And they only did it because I threatened to rat them out if they didn't share."

"I still have no use for him," Gohan muttered.

"Stop, you two," Goku said lightly, but firmly. "It doesn't matter now. I'm gonna go get her and take her to Capsule Corp. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Dad," they both said and Lindsey went to sit on the couch as Goku pressed his fingers to his forehead and disappeared from the living room.

* * *

Sabriena jumped when Goku appeared in her bedroom.

"Hey kiddo," he grinned. "Feels like we just did this, huh?"

She laughed. "Yeah. You're awful handy to have around for traveling."

"Well at least I'm good for something," he grinned. He looked around at the half-torn-apart half-empty bedroom. "Everything okay?"

She nodded. "Yup. Just peachy-fucking-keen. I'm done with his shit."

"All right then," Goku said, not wanting to press the issue further. She looked like she was ready to snap at someone. He'd seen that look in Chichi's eyes too many times to be able to ignore it. Stand still and don't make any sudden movements was the best tactic at that point.

"Let's just go before he comes back," she muttered.

"He doesn't know you're leaving?"

She shrugged. "I told him not to bother coming back. I don't think he thinks I'm serious. But I don't care. Let's just go."

"Shouldn't you at least tell him?"

"I said let's go!" she snorted, grabbing onto two of her bags. "Can you grab the others?"

Goku nodded and kept his mouth shut. She was upset. It was best to leave her alone. "Capsule Corp?"

"Capsule Corp."

* * *

"Hey girl!" Catie cried, running forward and throwing her arms around Sabriena.

Sabriena's face split in a wide grin. "Catie!" she squealed, hugging her back. She looked over Catie's shoulder at Bulma. "Thanks for letting me stay here. I really do appreciate it."

"It's no big deal," Bulma answered. "To be honest, it's not the same without Jenny living here. It'll be nice having you here."

"Hey Trunks, you wanna help me carry all her stuff up to her room?" Goku asked.

"Sure," Trunks answered, grabbing three of the big bags and leading the way.

"You sure your mom's okay with her staying here?" Goku asked as they neared the top of the stairs.

"Oh yeah," Trunks answered. "I think she's excited about it." He paused to open the bedroom door. "She and Sabriena can be a lot alike. I think she thinks she's getting a new best friend."

Goku laughed. "I dunno. They might butt heads."

Trunks shuddered as he set the suitcases down. "Please, god, no."

Goku was still laughing as he placed the other bags on the bed. "Let's hope not."

Vegeta appeared in the doorway. "What's going on in here?"

Trunks paled. "We, ah, have a house guest."

"Kakarot, what'd you do now?" Vegeta growled. "That woman of yours finally throw you out?"

Goku rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. "It's not me!"

Vegeta cocked an eyebrow.

"Sabriena needs a place to stay," Trunks explained. He really didn't like the way his dad was looking at him, like the very idea of someone else moving in made him want to punch something and that something just might happen to be Trunks.

"Who?" Vegeta asked.

Goku dropped his hand from his neck. "Sabriena? You know. Short. Blonde."

"Talks way too loud," Vegeta finished as the name finally clicked. He huffed and looked to Trunks again. "I suppose your mother is behind this."

Trunks looked at the floor and Goku chuckled again, grinning widely as Vegeta turned and marched down the hall, yelling "WOMAN!"

"This isn't going to end well," Trunks muttered and headed down to the living room with Goku in tow.

"You cannot keep collecting these girls like they're… they're… stray pets!" Vegeta shouted.

"I can and I will!" Bulma shot back. "May I remind you, this is _my _house and I'll do as I please. If I say she can stay, then she stays!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Bulma and crossed his arms.

"Ah, Vegeta," Catie grinned. "It's not so bad. You hated me and Jenny at first too, remember? And Sabriena's not nearly as into pranks as we are. She'd never do any of that kind of stuff to you." She wrapped her arm around Sabriena's shoulders and leaned on her. Catie was nearly a head taller than Sabriena was.

Vegeta huffed and walked away, muttering, "No say. I have absolutely no say in what goes on in this house. And they wonder why I can't stand any of them."

"And people say I have an attitude," Sabriena scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Trunks swallowed and looked over at Catie. He edged closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Maybe it's about time we thought about getting our own place."

"As far away from here as possible?"

"My thoughts exactly."


	3. Cabin in the Woods

It took Sabriena a minute to realize where she was when she woke up the next morning. She rubbed at her face with both hands and groaned. Japan. At least she wasn't stuck at the Lookout this time. That place drove her nuts. But this time, she was staying at Capsule Corp and there was bound to be tons of fun things to do here.

She took her shower and went through her morning routine before venturing out into the hallway. The whole place was eerily quiet and it set Sabriena's nerves on edge. She wasn't used to silence. Back at the warehouse, there were people around constantly, day and night, making noise, playing video games, music, TV, the range. The quiet emptiness here was unsettling. She headed to the kitchen, looking for Catie, but found it empty as well. She fixed herself a bowl of cereal and sat at the big table, trying to sort everything out in her head.

She'd cried herself to sleep the night before and was relieved when she woke up to see that there were no bags under her eyes. She just couldn't understand Tumbler at all. They'd been together for two years, ever since she'd gone back to America, and had spent most of their time together living like there was no tomorrow. Drinking, partying, never planning for the future. But now, well… She didn't know what to think. She wasn't looking for a husband and children. She shuddered at that. She just was tired of the constant drama Tumbler brought wherever he went.

She crunched her cereal noisily, reliving the moment she'd found out he was using. She suspected that he smoked weed, lots of people in the house did, but as long as he wasn't around her when he did it, she could ignore it. But that morning that Memphis had stormed into their bedroom and ripped Tumbler out of bed, shaking him and yelling at the top of his lungs about how stupid Tumbler was for messing with cocaine… She shook her head. Memphis had barely allowed Tumbler to dress while Sabriena sat in bed, hugging the blankets to her chest in shock, and Memphis dragged him out of the house and drove him straight to rehab with Kip in tow.

She'd agreed to wait for him, it was only a month after all, and he promised to clean up. But not even a week after he got out, he'd been pulled over for erratic driving and the police found coke on him again. After bailing him out and another month-long-stint in rehab, and paying a damn good lawyer to get him off, she thought Tumbler would change. But he didn't. He just became better at hiding it. And so the cycle continued.

She really thought he'd changed this last time. She mentally smacked herself. She should've known better.

She set her bowl in the sink and grabbed a soda from the fridge and wandered out into a new hallway, looking for someone to spend the day with. Maybe Catie would want to go shopping. Or Bulma. Bulma would be fun to go shopping with.

"DAMN IT!" a female voice shouted and Sabriena paused. She could hear two women speaking behind a closed door and her curiosity got the best of her. She shoved the door open and stepped inside.

Jenny and Bulma were there, Bulma shaking her head as Jenny stared at a scorch mark on the wall, her shoulders shaking as her watery blue hair splashed and foamed around her face. Bulma looked up when Sabriena came through the door.

"Morning," Bulma greeted her.

"Heya," Sabriena answered, sauntering over to the table Bulma was leaning over.

Jenny turned and gasped, her hair falling back to its natural brown locks. "Subbie!" she squealed and hugged her. "I didn't know you were here!"

"Just got in," Sabriena answered.

Jenny was beaming. "I haven't seen you in months. Why'd you come visit? Any special occasion?"

"Not unless you count Tumbler being a douchbag as 'special'," Sabriena answered.

"Uh oh," Jenny said sympathetically. "What'd he do this time?"

"He's dealing," Sabriena muttered.

Jenny gasped. "Oh, are you serious?!"

Sabriena nodded and slurped her soda. Jenny tried to hug her again, but Sabriena just stood there, still as a statue, staring at the papers all over the table. Jenny released Sabriena with a sigh and rolled her eyes.

"So you just staying here until he cleans up or what?"

She shook her head. "He's never gonna change. I'm done. For good."

Jenny raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"What?" Sabriena demanded.

"It's just… you know how you and Tumbler are," Jenny said, looking back to the table where Bulma was scribbling something. "No, Bulma, we've tried that."

Bulma sighed. "This is infuriating." She stood and looked at the burned wall, tapping the end of her pencil against her lips.

"What do you mean I know how he and I are?" Sabriena asked, fixing Jenny with a hard stare.

"You guys are so on again off again," Jenny answered. "He'll get clean. Just wait. If he sees you staying away for real this time, he'll straighten up. And then you'll go back to him."

"Wow, I'm that easy to predict, huh?" Sabriena spat, pulling over a rolling chair and plunking herself down in it.

Jenny closed her eyes for a second, drawing a deep breath, trying to control her patience. "Sabriena, look, I'm really busy right now. This is important. I'm sorry, if you're not going back to Tumbler, then fine. I just really don't have time to worry about him."

Sabriena sat back in the chair and slurped her soda again, but kept quiet.

Jenny opened her eyes again and leaned over the table, resting her hands on the rounded metal edges. "We're missing something here, Bulma. And we're running out of the Saiyan armor."

Bulma nodded. "We'll have to make more."

"Yeah, but what's the point if it's not working? I'm sick of this! These damn books are useless," she finished, staring at the stack of books they'd borrowed from Lindsey.

"Some of it does seem silly," Bulma agreed, her voice still calm and patient. "But I think there's more there than we realize. We're just missing something."

"I've read those things a dozen times," Jenny growled.

"You can't remember everything," Bulma said. "We need Eighteen. She could memorize all that information in about five minutes."

"Meh," Jenny shrugged. "She doesn't have time. She's so busy right now with her brother and-"

A loud knock at the door cut Jenny off and she shouted, "Oh what now?!" She turned to see the man standing in the doorway. He looked stunned at her outburst.

"Sorry," he said in his deep voice. "I can come back later if I'm interrupting something."

"Hey Tien," Bulma smiled. "You're fine. She's just moody today." She gave Jenny a playful shove.

Jenny stood up straight and acted like she was going to slam her elbow into the side of Bulma's face. "I'll show you moody."

Bulma laughed. "I'm not scared of you, missy." She turned to Tien. "So what brings you here?"

Tien held two big chunks of metal in his hand. "Broke my axe," he answered sheepishly and handed the pieces to her. "You think you can fix it?"

Bulma looked the pieces over. "Yeah, I can do that. We're not getting very far here right now anyway." She looked back to the table and said, "Jenny, take a break."

"Fiiiiine," Jenny huffed and flopped down in a computer chair.

"Come with me, Tien," Bulma said, leading the way back out into the hall. "So how'd you break this anyway?"

"Ah, trying to split hardwood," he answered as he followed her. "Should'a known better, but it burns hotter. It's still freezing outside."

Sabriena got up and walked over to the papers on the table again as Tien and Bulma disappeared down the hall. "So what exactly are you trying to do?"

Jenny sighed and rubbed at her forehead, slumping sideways in her chair. "Trying to imbue armor with magick."

Sabriena picked up one of the papers and looked it over. "Notes?"

"Failed attempts, more like," Jenny muttered, running her fingers through her hair. She sighed. "I just don't know what to do."

* * *

"You ready for me to test that armor?" Vegeta asked Bulma when he met her in the hallway.

"No, not yet," she sighed. "Unless you're just itching to get hit with magick."

He snorted. "I'll pass."

"You going out to train?" she asked.

He nodded. He looked at Tien and cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Tien ignored him.

"All right," Vegeta said. "Let me know when it's ready." And he continued on his way, thinking to himself that Bulma and Jenny were wasting their time. Bulma had never had such a hard time getting something to work. She'd been at it for four months – if she hadn't figured it out by now, it probably wasn't going to happen.

He was heading out into the yard to train with Catie and Trunks when Jenny's voice caught his attention. The door to Bulma's lab was cracked open and he paused to listen. He could just barely see them through the gap of the door.

"So what's the deal?" came Sabriena's voice. "No one's really worn armor in battle before. At least not our side."

"Vegeta and Catie did last time," Jenny answered. "And did you notice Catie came out of that situation better than anyone else?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Sabriena said.

"But it still wasn't enough," Jenny sighed. "So I got to thinking, about how Nyx put that spell over the dragon. She protected it with her magick."

"But you can do that too," Sabriena said. "You were putting up shields for us and stuff. Well, at least you were until you decided to pop that kid out on the battlefield. Show off."

Jenny snorted. "Yeah, cause that's what I was trying to do."

Sabriena laughed.

"Nah, I just… just can't go through that again."

"Child birth?"

It was Jenny's turn to laugh. "Well, that, yeah. But, no, that's not what I'm talking about. I can't take the disappointment in myself, knowing I let everyone down again."

"The fuck you talkin' about?"

"The shields are only good so long as I'm able to cast them," Jenny answered. "When I went down, they stopped. And… people got hurt. If I can figure out how to put that same magick into an object, like armor, then it won't matter if I get distracted, or hurt, or…"

"Pregnant."

"I am NOT getting pregnant again!"

"Mm-hmm."

Jenny huffed. "Anyway… I just can't stand to see my family get hurt again. I will do everything in my power to protect them. Piccolo was nearly killed by that dragon. And dad…" she paused and shook her head, "_Vegeta_ got his leg nearly ripped to shreds… If I hadn't been in labor, if I'd been able to protect them somehow, none of that would've happened."

"But they're okay now," Sabriena stated. "It's not like you lost either of them."

"I know," Jenny answered. "And neither one would ever admit if they were concerned or if they'd been afraid. Too damn stubborn. Both of them. Did you see the way Vegeta walked to me on that battlefield? Trying to hide the fact that he was limping…" There was an admiration in her voice as she spoke about him.

"They're just proud, Jenny," Sabriena said. "I'm amazed you ever got through to Piccolo. Still don't know what you see in him…"

Vegeta heard a smack and Sabriena said, "Ow!"

"Maybe I should start training," Sabriena said softly, her voice thoughtful. "I don't really have a family, ya know, but… I do have my dad. I don't want something to happen to him if there's something I can do to stop it."

The girls were speaking so softly now that Vegeta had to strain to hear them.

"At least your dad's worth protecting," Jenny said.

Sabriena's voice was forced. Hesistant. "Oh come on. Your dad isn't… that bad."

"You know what he's like," Jenny said, her voice quiet and harsh. "You know what he's done."

"So that's why you pretend Vegeta's your dad, huh?" Sabriena asked bluntly.

"Pretend my ass," Jenny huffed and got to her feet again. "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a real dad. My… father… is a piece of shit and you know it. At least Vegeta's stable. At least he's safe."

"Safe?" Sabriena laughed. "I wouldn't necessarily say anyone's safe around that man."

Jenny snickered. "You know what I mean. I will not stop, will not go into another battle, until I know I can protect them. All of them."

The girls' conversation broke off for a minute as they were both lost in thought. Finally Sabriena spoke again. "So training all the time has really helped you out, huh?"

"Yup," Jenny answered.

"Hmmm. Well, I guess I should start. I wonder where Vegeta is," Sabriena stated loudly.

Vegeta jumped and started to hurry down the hallway, wanting to avoid that girl if at all possible.

"Hey," Sabriena's voice called after him.

He cringed inside but he turned to her. "What?"

"I wanna start training," she said, one hand on her hip and the other still holding her soda.

Vegeta snorted. "And what makes you think I'd train you?"

"You trained Jenny and Catie," she protested. "Why am I any different?"

"Because they had potential," Vegeta said simply. "I don't have time to waste on you."

Sabriena's fingers were crunching into her soda can. She wasn't used to being told no. Just as she was getting ready to protest, Catie walked in.

"'Geta!" she called. "Are we training today or not?"

"Yeah, I'm coming," he answered, turning away from Sabriena again.

"Not without me," Sabriena said stubbornly, falling into step behind him.

"Your friend is beyond obnoxious," Vegeta said loudly to Catie.

Catie bit her lip and hurried back outside. She wasn't going to openly agree with Vegeta, but she couldn't disagree with him either.

The yard was covered in a thin layer of crunching snow. Catie powered up and turned to face Vegeta as he raised his own energy and flew at her.

A pang of jealousy shot through Sabriena as she watched her friend transform so effortlessly. Catie's normally long, dark brown hair had turned to emerald green, her eyes burning a bright purple. She ruthlessly threw hardy, thick vines from her hands as she sparred with Vegeta, lashing at him and trying to trip him up. Vegeta ripped vines away as he flew at her and landed a kick against her right shoulder, sending her flying across the yard.

"Dammit," Catie growled. "I'll use the thorns if you hit me again!"

Vegeta smirked. "Do it and find out what happens to you."

Sabriena watched Catie spar; it looked effortless, she was so graceful yet fierce, her every move swift and calculated. That was what Sabriena wanted. She hadn't realized it until that moment, but she wanted what Catie had. That calm confidence that just seemed to exude from her. She was facing one of the most powerful warriors the world had ever known, and she wasn't afraid. There was no hesitation, no doubt in her movements or the expression on her face.

"Come on, Vegeta," Catie said, swinging her arm at him and catching him in the side of the neck. "Give Sabriena a chance."

"Drop it, Catherine," he warned her and brought his knee up to hit her in the stomach.

She doubled over and heaved, but laced her fingers together and swung around to catch him in the back.

"You're such a stick in the mud," Catie argued.

Vegeta threw an energy wave at Catie, but she blocked it with her forearms and flew straight at him again. She moved so fast that for a split second, Vegeta lost sight of her. She reappeared behind him, one arm around his neck and the other pinning his arm behind him. "Come on," she said softly in his ear. "She needs the help."

Vegeta reached behind him with his free arm and grabbed Catie by the hair. Flipping her over his head, he threw her to the ground and landed lightly beside her.

She was panting as she looked up at him. "I hatechu."

He smirked at her, then looked up at Sabriena and frowned. "Fine," he huffed. "You. Girl. Spar with Catie. Let's see if you're even worth my time."

* * *

"You could just buy a new one, you know," Bulma said, setting the two broken pieces of the double-edged axehead on the table.

Tien smiled slightly. "I know. I just hate to throw something away if it can be fixed."

"Fair enough," Bulma sighed. "You hang out for a bit and I'll repair it for you. I think Trunks and Catie are supposed to be sparring out in the backyard if you want to go visit with them."

"All right," he said. "Thanks, Bulma. I owe you one." Tien left the smaller room Bulma had led him to and headed down the familiar hallway towards the backyard. He was hoping to visit with Trunks, he hadn't seen him in a long time, but instead he found himself watching a rather disappointing sparring match. He side-stepped out of the doorway and leaned against the side of the building to watch.

Catie had squared off against Sabriena without powering up. But even so, Sabriena didn't stand a chance. Her movements were too slow, too disorganized. And the few hits she managed to land against Catie could've been easily blocked. Catie was letting Sabriena hit her. After a few more minutes, Vegeta barked at them that enough was enough.

"You got some good hits in there," Catie said softly to Sabriena.

"Don't patronize her, Catherine," Vegeta scolded as he stepped closer to them.

"Well?" Catie asked. "You gonna train her?"

"No," Vegeta answered.

"Why not?!" Sabriena demanded.

"Because your fighting skills are pathetic," Vegeta answered.

"Vegeta," Catie said, placing her hands on her hips, "Jenny and I weren't that good when we first started."

"You took up training with me nearly two years ago," he answered. "If she was interested, she could have come to me then. I don't have time to go back and start over. And neither do you, Catherine."

"But that's not fair!" Sabriena protested, stomping her foot. "I could be a good fighter too!"

Vegeta snorted. "No. You will never be a good fighter. You don't have the talent or potential. And especially the drive. Go back to your partying and leave this war to the real warriors." He turned away from her, crossing his arms. "I don't have time for you."

Tien didn't know why he said it, whether he felt sorry for Sabriena or if he just wanted to spite Vegeta, but he stepped forward and said, "I do. I've got time."

Sabriena turned to blink at him. "You do?" She seemed skeptical.

Vegeta scoffed, "Well well, isn't that appropriate? One waste of space teaching another."

Sabriena ignored Vegeta and stepped closer to Tien, crossing her arms over her chest. "You any good at this fighting stuff?"

He looked down at her with a slight smirk. "I'm decent," he answered.

"If by decent you mean expendable," Vegeta smirked.

Tien drew a long breath through his nose to keep his patience with Vegeta. "Fine," he said, turning away to head back inside. "Suit yourself."

"God, Vegeta, could you be any more rude?" Catie scolded.

"Oh don't give me that," Vegeta shot back. "Not that I care, but if your friend is going to train, she should at least find a teacher who can actually teach her something."

Tien paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Yeah, maybe I could teach her how to beat Goku. You know, since that's something I've actually done. Can you say the same, Vegeta?" And with that, Tien marched back inside as Vegeta stammered incoherently behind him.

Tien shook his head. That's just what they needed was another cocky hothead like Vegeta running around. Catie was already too much like him in battle as it was. Jenny wasn't as bad, but she spent a lot of time with Piccolo and his calm, calculated demeanor had obviously rubbed off on her.

Sabriena's voice behind him made him jump when she shouted, "Hey!"

He stopped and turned to her. "Yeah?"

She looked hesitant. "You really beat Goku?"

Tien nodded. "In the World Martial Arts tournament. It was a long time ago, but yes, I beat him."

She tipped her head to the side, analyzing him, and wrinkled her nose. "So you really think you can help me?"

"You got a better option?"

She eyed him a bit more and sighed. "I guess not. You were a Martial Arts Champion after all."

"All right then," he said. "Let me get the axe from Bulma and we'll get started." He looked her over once. "You might want to grab a coat. It's a long flight to my place."

She blinked at him. "We're going to your house?"

"I'm not training here and listening to Vegeta," Tien said simply as Bulma stepped back out into the hallway, holding the newly repaired axe.

"Good as new," Bulma beamed, handing it to Tien.

He took it in his hands and looked it over. "Thanks, Bulma. What do I owe ya?"

"Nothing," she answered.

"You sure? I hate asking favors," he said.

"You're fine," she answered. "It didn't take me twenty minutes. I needed a distraction for a minute anyway."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, resting the axe over his shoulder. "You been working on something?"

"Eh," Bulma muttered. "It's still in the beginning stages. We'll see."

"That armor Jenny's working on?" Sabriena asked.

Bulma nodded and sighed.

"Armor, huh?" Tien asked. "Sounds interesting."

"It will be if we could just get it to work!" Bulma exclaimed. "Oh, I've never worked on anything so infuriating!"

Tien raised an eyebrow. "How does armor not work? Seems pretty straight forward to me."

"We're trying to get it to block magickal attacks," Bulma explained. "But so far, Jenny just blasts right through it."

"Gotcha," Tien said. "Well, if anyone can get it to work, it's the two of you. Keep at it, Bulma. You'll get it."

"Thanks, Tien," she sighed. "I gotta get back to the lab. Jenny's probably destroyed an entire suit since I've been gone."

She started back down the hall and Tien called after her, "Thanks again for the axe!" He turned to Sabriena. "You gonna get your coat or are you flying like that?"

"Why do I need my coat to fly?" she asked. "I'll be in a hover car."

"We don't need a car, we can just fly there ourselves," he answered.

Sabriena scowled at him. "I can't fly."

Tien's eyes went wide. "You can't fly yet?"

She pursed her lips. "No."

"Well, I can carry you, I guess," he offered uncomfortably.

"I'll get my car and my coat," she stated and stomped away.

Tien closed his eyes and sighed. 'What have I gotten myself into?' he thought. He waited patiently for her to return and headed outside with her when she finally reappeared wearing a charcoal peacoat and carrying a small red capsule in her hand.

"These things are really handy, actually," Sabriena said, weighing the capsule in her hand as Tien looked at it. "They're becoming a lot more popular in the US. Sucks for Yorgi, though…"

"Why's that?" Tien asked.

Sabriena mentally slapped herself. "He, uh, only deals with the old style of cars. These capsules hurt his business."

Tien seemed uninterested and didn't press the matter. Thank god. He and most of the other Z-Fighters didn't know about the illegal nature of the business conducted in the old warehouse. And Sabriena wasn't particularly keen on sharing that information. She needed the training and didn't want to frighten off the one person offering it to her. Tactless she may be, stupid she was not.

"So are you gonna ride with me?" Sabriena asked as she clicked the capsule and tossed it into the drive. The bright red hover car appeared in a puff of smoke.

Tien's eyes ran over the sleek lines of the sports car. "Nah," he answered. "I like the fresh air. You can just follow me."

Sabriena made no attempt to hide her face from him as she rolled her eyes and got into the car. Tien was already regretting his offer as he took to the sky, Sabriena following closely in the little red car.

* * *

Sabriena couldn't fathom how far out Tien lived from civilization. It took them two hours to get to his place, and that was a straight shot. They passed over the city, over smaller towns and farmland, two mountain ridges and part of a forest. After what seemed like an eternity, Tien finally lowered to the ground and Sabriena followed.

"Oh… my… god…" Sabriena deadpanned as she stepped out of the car. She glanced at her cell phone – only one bar of signal and it kept flashing as if it was ready to go out at any moment.

Tien had landed in front of a rather small log cabin. Two wooden stairs led up to the simple front door. There was a large stump near the front door with split firewood laying all around the base – more firewood was stacked up against the side of the stairs. Tien effortlessly swung the axe from his shoulder and embedded it in the tree stump with a dull _thwack. _He turned and smiled at her as she cautiously stepped out of the car, taking in her surroundings.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Wow," Sabriena breathed. "There's not much here, is there?"

"Just the way I like it," he answered lightheartedly and began to pick up the loose pieces of firewood, cradling them in his left arm. "You can go on inside if you want."

Sabriena walked up the small stairs to the front door and turned her back to the door, looking out at the scene around her. Besides the tree stump, which was off to the right side of the door, the front yard (if you could call it a yard) also held a small fire pit, lined with a single row of flat river stones. There was a well-worn path that led down a slight incline to a river about a hundred yards from the front door. She could hear the rushing of a waterfall nearby and assumed that the falls fed into the river. The other three sides of the property were lined by the forest as if this one space had been carved out just for his home. She had to admit, there was a simplistic beauty about the place. The way the late morning sun danced brilliantly across the cold river was absolutely breathtaking. But it was quiet here and she was not used to that at all. There was no road in sight, not even a gravel one, and no sound of cars or people or music anywhere. The only sounds were the slight roar of the small waterfall and the sound of the firewood clunking against itself in Tien's arm.

Tien straightened up and turned to her. "You can go inside," he repeated.

Sabriena turned and shoved open the heavy wooden door and stepped into the cabin. It was a singular room with a stone fireplace against the right wall. In the middle of the room sat a rustic, scrubbed wooden table with two chairs. The wooden floor was worn smooth. At the back of the room was a full-sized bed, draped with a thick quilt and a couple squashed pillows. A big window against the back wall, just over the bed, revealed a large garden patch in the back yard. There were more trees beyond it and off to the right was a small raised area in the land with a rough door that led right into the earth. She reached for the light switch, running her hand over the rough wooden logs of the wall.

Tien snickered behind her. "There's no electricity," he explained, stepping around her and setting the firewood down on the hearth. There was a tiny fire already glowing there and he began to add pieces of split firewood to it, shoving the coals around, stirring up a bigger flame.

She blinked in shock. "But… how do you do anything?!"

He laughed softly. "What do you mean?"

She was totally bewildered. "There's no lights! No TV! How do you cook? How do you keep warm? Where do you put your groceries?" She stopped to gasp. "Where the hell is the bathroom?!" She could see her breath in the air as she spoke, even inside the house. This was bizarre.

Tien was still laughing softly. "I cook and heat the house with the fire," he nodded towards the bigger flames that were growing and crackling there now. "I don't need TV. Never cared for it. And I don't buy food from a store. Everything I need, I can get here." He stood up straight again. "And the outhouse is around back."

Her mouth hung slightly open, her jaw cocked to the side, and she gave a huff of disbelief.

He watched her reaction with a slight amusement. All of his friends had been to his house and were used to the way Tien lived. He liked things simplistic and practical. He didn't see a need to fill up his life with useless entertainment when there was rewarding work to be done. He didn't need a refrigerator for keeping groceries – if he was hungry, he could find plenty to eat by foraging in the forest, fishing in the river, or hunting and keeping the root cellar well stocked. Fresh water could be had from the spring that fed the waterfall and in the warm weather provided an easy way to cool down.

The fire grew, casting a warming light over the rest of the cabin. To the left of the door was a tall wooden cabinet with double doors joined to a smaller, square set of drawers. On top of these drawers sat a large water pitcher and washbasin with a mirror attached to the wall behind it. A huge bow was propped against it and a quiver with several arrows lay on the floor beside it. She cocked her eyebrow at that, but managed to not grab the bow and ogle it. It wasn't a compound bow like the ones she was used to, but was a single piece of hand-carved wood made into a longbow that looked smooth and warm with a piece of well-worn leather for a grip.

"You ready to get started?" Tien asked, sitting down on the floor beside the fireplace, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees.

She shook her head briefly as if trying to understand all of this weird, primitive, bare-bones style of living. "You really live here?" she asked, setting her purse on the table.

"You don't like it?"

"It's… cozy," she said, trying to sound polite, but came across as patronizing.

Tien didn't care much what she thought. "It's all I need," he answered.

"Well some of us need more than others, I suppose," she said airily and dropped down to the wooden floor to sit and face him, crossing her own legs and leaned towards him, her elbows on her knees and her hands under her chin. "So what exactly are we doing on the floor?"

"You need to learn to fly before we do anything," he answered. "And to do that, you have to learn to control your energy. We'll start there."

"Oh all right," she sighed and sat up a little straighter. "But let's make this quick. I don't want to be here all night."

Tien closed his eyes for a moment, trying to suppress the urge to laugh or sigh at her. If she thought she was going to have this thing figured out before nightfall, she had another thing coming.


	4. Bribery

"Do you know how to bring your energy out?" Tien asked.

Sabriena thought for a moment. "Well, me and the girls did do it once before. But that was a long time ago. I haven't done it since."

"Well, it's a starting point," Tien said, shifting a bit to make himself more comfortable. "Do you need to see it done?"

"Couldn't hurt," Sabriena shrugged.

Tien held his hands up in front of his stomach, his palms facing each other. As Sabriena watched, a small orb of light began to glow between his hands. It grew larger until it was about the size of a baseball. Sabriena leaned closer, laying over her folded legs, to stare at it.

Tien smirked. "See? It's not that hard." And he lowered his hands, the energy dissipating before him. "Your turn."

Sabriena drew a long breath and sat up a little, still leaning her elbows on her knees, and faced her palms towards each other.

"You have to sit up straight," Tien said.

Sabriena sat up a little straighter, taking her elbows off her knees.

"Up straight," Tien insisted.

She dropped her hands to her lap. "I don't like sitting like that!"

"Well this isn't going to work if you don't," he stated, crossing his arms.

She huffed and sat up with her spine straight and raised her hands again.

"Now, let your mind relax," Tien said in a softer voice. "Close your eyes if you have to."

She drew a deep breath and sighed through her nose, but Sabriena lightly closed her eyes, trying to relax. The wooden floor was hard on her hips and the heat from the fire was starting to fill the room. As she tried to let her mind go blank, it began to wander. Images of Tumbler yelling at her and grabbing her wrist filtered through her mind. Vegeta's words about her never being a good fighter and calling her a waste of space echoed in her brain. Sweat was beginning to run down the side of her face and she snapped her eyes open.

"It's too hot," she said.

"Yeah, the fire heats up pretty quick," he said. "Take your coat off. You should be pretty comfortable without it."

She quickly yanked it off and tucked it under her, making her seat on the floor ten times better. She stretched her arms out to free her hands from her sleeves.

"What's that?" Tien asked, nodding at her wrist.

Her sleeve had slid too far up her arm and revealed the nasty dark bruises around her left wrist. She quickly tugged her sleeve down. "It's nothing."

It didn't look like nothing. Tien quickly grabbed her hand to get a better look and she tried to pull back from him as though he'd scorched her.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said calmly, staring into her unnaturally green eyes, still firmly holding her hand in his.

She watched him nervously as he slid the sleeve of her shirt up her arm and turned her hand over gently in his. She was surprised at how gentle his rough hands were. She wasn't used to that. All of the men she was used to being around, big hulking Russians and street fighter-looking Americans, were always rough with everyone, whether they meant to be or not. Yet here he was, a man who would dwarf most of them in size and certainly all of them in strength, handling her wrist with the concern of someone holding a fragile piece of glass.

"How'd this happen?" he asked, frowning. "I didn't see Catie grab you."

"Eh, it doesn't matter," she answered, pulling her hand away and this time he let go. She tugged her sleeve down again and looked down at her lap. Tumbler had never left a bruise on her before.

Tien scowled in concern. "You want me to put him in his place?" he asked as if he could read her mind.

"He's not an issue anymore," she muttered. "Why do you care anyway?"

Tien raised his eyebrows. "Because I don't like people who hurt others. Especially if they can't defend themselves."

She looked up at him fiercely. "Why don't you mind your own goddamn business?" she snapped. "I'm here to train, that's all. Maybe if you'd just teach me like you're supposed to, I'd be able to defend myself a lot easier! I can handle myself! I don't need you or anyone else taking care of me!"

He blinked in confusion at her sudden outburst. "Never mind then," he said.

"Damn right, never mind," she sulked.

He could see she was upset. He'd touched a nerve somehow and he didn't understand what he'd said to make her react like that. All he'd done was offer to help her out if that boyfriend of hers was giving her a hard time.

She sat up straight again and closed her eyes. Tien waited patiently, gauging her mindset by her breathing.

"Breathe deeper," he said. "Slower."

Without opening her eyes, Sabriena did as she was told. There was something about the low easiness of his voice that calmed her. The fire crackled and popped, filling the house with the warm scent of burning hickory. She felt herself drifting off, but not to sleep. A soft fuzziness settled into her brain. Her neck felt heavy, her breathing slowed even more.

"Now," he said, his voice still soft and patient. "Concentrate on the core of your body." He spoke slowly, rhythmically. "Concentrate on the life-force there. Feel it within you."

Sabriena resisted the urge to sigh. She focused again and began to feel a pull right above her navel, like a fullness was there that had nothing to do with food or drink. An excitement shot up her spine and she twitched… The sensations of the room hit her suddenly and her eyes fluttered open.

Tien gave a smile. "Did you feel it?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she said, surprised at herself. "Okay," she said, flapping her hands as if to clear the air. "Okay, okay. Try again." And she closed her eyes and settled back into her meditative posture.

"Don't jump this time," he instructed.

She gave a small nod and focused again.

"Now when you feel it this time, I want you to try to bring it out," he said. "Feel it pull from your body. Concentrate on moving it to your hands."

Sabriena tried to concentrate again, to force the energy she felt to pool between her hands, but to no avail. She tensed, willing the energy to move.

"Stop," Tien said firmly.

She cracked one eye open at him. "What?" she growled.

"You have to relax," he answered.

She huffed and opened both eyes to look at him. "I'm trying," she said through clenched teeth.

"You're trying too hard," he said. "You can't force it. You have to let it come out naturally."

She bit the inside corner of her mouth in exasperation. "Fiiiine," she huffed and slumped over on her knees, closing her eyes again.

"Sit up straight," Tien ordered.

* * *

They worked right through lunch without stopping, Tien varying between barking at her to relax and sit up straight to speaking softly, giving her encouragement and guidance. She finally sat back on her palms as the sun began to dip behind the trees, casting long shadows across the interior of the cabin.

"I think I've had enough for one day," she said irritatedly, getting to her feet.

He stood too, looking down at her. He was so tall and she so short that the top of her head hit him mid-chest. "You want me to make you some supper?"

"Nah," she answered without looking at him as she slung her big monogrammed purse over her shoulder. "I'll grab a burger when I get back to the city."

"Okay," he said, "see you tomorrow then?"

"Yup. I'll be here as soon as I get up and around." And without looking back at him, she walked out and banged the door shut behind her.

"You're welcome," he muttered angrily. He shook his head as he went to the cabinet against the wall to get utensils to start his dinner. She was going to be a definite challenge to work with, that was for sure.

Sabriena spent her evening indulging in junk food and action movies in her room until about midnight when she finally decided she'd better go to bed. She was just getting ready to turn off the light in her room when her phone went off. She slid her finger across the screen and read the text message.

Tumbler (12:08 a.m.): I miss you.

She rolled her eyes and tossed the phone on the nightstand and punched the pillow. "Idiot," she muttered. The phone went off again.

Tumbler (12:09 a.m.): Baby, im sorry. Pls call me.

"Oh my god, go away," she groaned, flopping down on the bed.

The phone went off three more times and she pulled the blankets over her head, ignoring them. "Go away, go away, go away." She wanted to go to sleep and ignore him, but she couldn't shake the nagging need to know what he was saying. She rolled over and grabbed the phone.

Tumbler (12:11 a.m.): I no i messed up if u come home i will go 2 rehab n stay clean promise

Tumbler (12:13 a.m.): Yorgi is fukin pissed that u left u need 2 call n tell him y u left

Tumbler (12:13 a.m.): Y wont u talk 2 me? I love u. life isn't worth livin if i aint got u. i dont want 2 live without u

'Oh lord,' she thought. 'The hell is he talking about?' She typed a question back to him, asking him what on earth he was going on about.

Tumbler (12:16 a.m.): I want u here i cant live without u. i dont want 2. u have 2 come home. my life is over without u.

Sabriena (12:17 a.m.): No, it's not. You will be fine without me.

Tumbler (12:21 a.m.): I will end it myself.

Sabriena sat bolt upright in bed, staring at the words on the screen. He couldn't be serious. Although, if he was high or drunk, who knew what he might do? She didn't want to be with him anymore, but she didn't want him to hurt himself either. She rubbed her face with her hands and groaned. She really didn't want to do it, but she couldn't stop herself either. She called him.

"Where are you?" Tumbler breathed into the phone. "I've been so worried about you!"

"Doesn't matter where I've been," she answered flatly. "Why are you sending me stupid messages about ending your life?"

"Because it's the truth," he muttered. "I don't want to live without you."

"Oh my god, Tumbler," she huffed. "Seriously? That's so lame."

He was quiet for a minute. "Always the voice of inspiration, aren't you, Subbie?"

"Well it's the truth," she answered. "I'm not falling for it." She waited for his answer for a couple minutes. "You there?"

"Yeah."

"You need to move on," she said dully. "I'm not coming back this time."

Tumbler gasped. "You went back to fuckin' Japan."

She didn't answer for a minute. Finally she decided there was no use denying it and said, "Yeah. And I'm not coming back."

"Why you gotta be like this?!" he snapped. "Jesus, Subbie, all I was trying to do was give you what you wanted!"

"Really?" she scoffed. "You thought I wanted a crack-head for a boyfriend who buys me jewelry with drug money? The fuck are you thinking?!"

He went silent again. She was about to hang up out of sheer frustration, but a sharp noise on the other end of the line chilled her to the bone. It was the metallic slap of a pistol slide being racked.

"Put the gun down, Tumbler," she said in a calm voice.

"Nah," he sniffed. "You ain't comin' back. It ain't worth the heartache without'cha."

A panic welled up inside her. He wasn't joking and he wasn't trying to manipulate her. He was serious. She was about to listen to him blow his brains out over the phone.

"I'll come back," she breathed. She didn't know what else to do. She couldn't let him go through with this. "Baby, I promise. I'll come home, okay? We'll work this out. Please, just don't do this. I love you. I love you."

Tumbler sniffed again. "You promise?"

She was nodding her head emphatically, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yes."

"When?"

"As soon as I can," she said. "I have some things that I have to take care of here first. Give me a couple weeks."

"That's a long time."

"It'll pass by quick, I promise. Just please don't do anything stupid."

"All right," he whispered. "I love you, Subbie."

Tears were burning the corners of her eyes. "I love you, too."

"Call me tonight when you can," he said.

She'd be sleeping then. Did no one remember the damn time zones? "Okay," she agreed and hung up the phone. She zinged the phone across the room where it hit the wall and she fell back against the pillows. She didn't know why she'd lied to him. She wasn't going back. She had already made up her mind about that. She supposed it should have bothered her how easily the lie formed on her lips. But it didn't. He'd done it to her so many times, given her false hope, set her up just to be knocked back down. Let him believe the lies for once. Let him be the one waiting for her return.

But she couldn't erase the sound of the gun from her memory. She'd never feared a gun, hell there wasn't a weapon on earth she wasn't fascinated with, but she was now afraid of what that tool could actually do. Or more to the point, what he would do with it.

She groaned and rolled to her side, curling into a ball. No matter how angry she was with him, she didn't want him to get hurt. She finally fell into a fretful sleep, tossing and turning all night, the sharp racking sound of the gun echoing in her dreams.

* * *

Tien shook his head as he raised the axe and swung it down smoothly, the two halves of the log falling to either side of the stump. He should've known better than to take her on. She was too young and careless to be dedicated to training. She was too different from her friends, who spent their every waking moments with Vegeta and Goku, training like animals for the coming war.

He'd woken before six to get dressed and make breakfast and coffee. He'd waited and waited, but she never showed up. His whole morning wasted, Tien finally decided to finish harvesting his firewood. A cold front was moving in and he didn't feel like freezing to death.

It wasn't until nearly two in the afternoon that he finally heard the sound of a car approaching. He knew it was her – he could recognize her energy already. He heard the car door slam and her shoes crunching across the frozen grass as she approached him.

"Hey," she said lightly.

He ignored her and swung his axe down smoothly again, splitting the next log. He didn't know what to think of her. Could she really be serious, showing up this late in the day? She'd said she would be there as soon as she got up. There was no way she'd slept that late.

"I said hello," she tried again, a little more impatient this time.

"Nice of you to finally show up," he said after a minute, never turning to face her.

"Hey, I said I'd be here when I got up," she said.

He embedded the axehead in the stump again and turned to face her. "You seriously just got up?"

She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, her long blonde hair falling down to frame her face. "Well, I got up two hours ago, but since you decided to live all the way out here in bum-fuck-nowhere, it took me a minute to get here."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I thought you were serious about this, Sabriena," he said sternly, crossing his arms. "Either you want to be a valuable asset to the others or you don't. If you're not going to commit to this one hundred percent, then I'm afraid we're done here."

"I'm here!" she protested. "What more do you want?"

"I want you here on time," he barked. "And that means early. I was up before six to make you breakfast."

She blinked at him. "You made me breakfast?" she asked, confusion all over her face. "Why?"

"Because I thought you could use the energy," he answered. "And then you don't even bother showing up until mid-afternoon. Don't waste my time."

He turned his back to her again and wrenched the axe out of the stump. "Go home," he called over his shoulder. "This isn't what you want. Don't bother asking anyone else, either, until you're ready for it. This type of training isn't for the weak."

"I am not weak!" she shouted at his back as she stomped her foot.

He gave a loud laugh. "Sure."

She growled behind him and he could feel her energy raise. "Oh to hell with you," she snarled and marched back to her car.

He waited until he heard the engine roar to life and her energy fading away before he turned around again. Her powerlevel had raised a fair amount when he angered her. It wasn't that she couldn't do it, she just needed better control over her emotions. For a moment, he was tempted to fly after her, but then his good sense got a hold of him. She was more trouble than she was worth and he knew it. Taking her on as a student just to spite Vegeta had not been Tien's brightest moment.

He spent the rest of the afternoon splitting firewood and fishing for his supper, thinking about her. He'd never met someone so… he couldn't even put a word to it. Self-centered? Inconsiderate? Impatient? Demanding?

He snorted as the thought 'All of the above,' ran through his mind.

Ah well, he didn't have to worry about it anymore. She wasn't serious about training and she wasn't coming back. He was relieved and disappointed. Tien valued his alone time. That's why he had made his home in this place, between two mountain ridges, away from cities and traffic. He could live almost completely off the land, only bartering for a few items he couldn't get for himself such as salt, sugar or coffee. Everything he had, he worked for with his own hands. It was rewarding to know, at the end of the day, that he'd put in a hard day's work and that his success was directly affected by the effort he put in.

He constantly challenged himself. He had all the time and space to train as much as he wanted. But there was a very small part of him that was disappointed. He'd found himself excited at the prospect of having someone to teach. It would be nice to share his knowledge, not only of fighting and flying, but of the rewards of hard work and effort. To watch someone progress and help shape them into the person they wanted to become. It was like a new project he could work on and now the whole idea had been scrapped.

He ate his dinner and spent some time outside by the fire pit, wrapped in a heavy black fur cloak, staring up at the endless stars in the clear, cold night sky.

* * *

"Hey! There you are!" Trunks greeted Sabriena when she stormed into Capsule Corp.

"Hey," she muttered, pulling off her coat and tossing it at the coat rack but missed and it landed on the floor.

Trunks, Catie, and Jenny were sitting in the living room with pizza boxes on the floor between them.

"Hungry?" Catie asked, holding up a box.

"Sure," Sabriena said and plunked herself down on the floor. "Thanks, Cat."

Jenny was chewing the end of a pencil, staring at a sketchpad in her lap. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she stared at the paper.

"Pork chop!" Trunks cried and playfully slapped Jenny's forehead.

She blinked up at him. "Bitch," she muttered and kicked at his leg as he cringed away from her and snickered.

"Who you callin' bitch?" he laughed.

"You!" she answered through gritted teeth, still aiming a socked foot at him.

He sat up straight and she shoved him over with her foot again. "Quit!" he said, swatting at her.

"You two stop," Catie sighed.

"That's it!" Trunks cried as Jenny shoved him over again. He lunged at her and tackled her, making her scream. She started swatting his back with her sketchpad as Catie and Sabriena scooted away, pulling the pizzas with them.

"Bulma's gonna kill you guys if you tear anything up," Catie warned.

Trunks had Jenny pinned to the floor with his chest, tickling her ribs. She tried to scream and squirm away as she laughed, but she couldn't move. She did the only thing she could think of. She threw her legs around his waist and screamed, "OH! YES! OH GOD, TRUNKS! YES!"

"AGH!" he cried and flung himself backwards away from her as she rolled on the floor, laughing so hard tears streamed from her eyes.

Catie was choking on a slice of pizza, she'd laughed so hard just as she tried to swallow, and Sabriena thumped her hard on the back.

"You're fuckin' weird," Trunks muttered.

"Oooo! I made Trunks say the f-word!" Jenny giggled. "That's a rare thing!"

He blushed. "I'm tellin' Piccolo," he threatened, grabbing another slice of pizza.

"Go ahead," she said, sitting up and wiping her eyes. "I'd love to see his reaction to you laying on top of me in the middle of the floor. With an _audience _no less. You exhibitionist."

"I'm telling Piccolo on both of you," Catie snickered.

Jenny and Trunks went ten different shades of scarlet. "Oops," Jenny muttered, picking up her sketchpad and pencil once more.

"You still working on that armor?" Sabriena asked.

Jenny nodded and sighed. "I can't concentrate," she groaned and threw her supplies on the floor. "I'm so stressed out. I need to blow off some steam."

"Go train," Catie answered simply.

Jenny considered it for a second. "I think I will," she said and got to her feet.

"Where you going?" Trunks asked.

"I'm gonna go pick a fight with Vegeta," she answered and headed off through the house, calling, "VEGETA! Where yo' bitch-ass at? I'mma beat you like a redheaded stepchild!"

Trunks and Catie snickered.

"She is soooo gonna get it," Catie chuckled.

"He hates it when they try to trash-talk him," Trunks explained to Sabriena. "He goes nuts."

"I would never anger that man intentionally," Sabriena stated. "That's a fucking death-wish."

"So I heard you're training," Trunks said, laying over on his side on the floor. "How's that going?"

Sabriena shrugged. "I don't think I'm going anymore."

"You only went one day," Catie said. "Is it that bad?"

"Nah, I pissed him off," she answered.

Catie and Trunks looked at each other. "I've never known him to get pissed easily," Trunks said.

Sabriena shrugged and ripped a huge bite of pizza with her teeth. "Screw it," she said through her mouthful of food.

"You really do need a teacher," Catie chastised. "We're all working really hard to prepare for the next battle. That last one was intense."

"Worst we've had," Trunks agreed, picking at the carpet.

"And you barely made it through," Catie said to Sabriena. "Both of you," she added, looking at Trunks.

"Hey, I was willing to die to save you," he protested. "Stupid dragon had to smash me between its head and the ground."

"I know baby," she said in a patronizing voice as she leaned over and grabbed his chin. "And I love you for that." She kissed him and he snickered against her lips.

"Ewwww," Sabriena whined. "Ya'll all sappy and lovely and blah." She pretended to gag.

Catie broke the kiss and laughed at her. "You're so immature," she teased.

Trunks seemed hesitant, but he asked Sabriena, "So are you okay? I mean, you and Tumbler?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine. Dunno about him. Don't really care."

"Sorry," Trunks muttered.

She laughed. "Why are you sorry? It's not that big of a deal."

"I thought you guys were pretty serious," he admitted.

She frowned and shook her head. "Pshhhh. Naaaah. He was just a warm body in my bed."

They sat quietly for a moment, listening as Jenny continued through the house. "VEGETA! I know you're in here somewhere! Come out and plaaaaaaaay! Where my money, bitch?!"

Catie blinked. "She's lost her goddamn mind."

"It's that armor," Trunks said. He pulled the tie from his hair and scratched at his scalp. "It's driving her and my mother nuts."

"Good lord, your hair is long," Sabriena said, reaching over and running her fingers through the perfectly straight, silky lavender strands. She gasped. "And it's so soft!"

Trunks blushed.

Sabriena looked to Catie. "I'm kind'a jealous of his hair!"

"I know, right?" Catie answered. "It's down to his waist now. And I'm not letting him cut it."

"It could use a trim," Sabriena said, holding the ends up between her fingers and examining it. "Just, like, a couple inches."

"Nah, it's okay," Trunks said, sweeping a hand through his hair, nonchalantly pulling it from Sabriena's fingers.

"So you going back to train or what?" Catie asked.

"I dunno," Sabriena muttered, resting her chin in her hand.

"You need it," Catie said. "I'm sorry Vegeta wouldn't do it."

Sabriena shrugged. "I don't know if it'll help or not."

"What was he teaching you?" Trunks asked, picking the toppings off his pizza and popping them in his mouth.

"To bring out my energy so I can learn to fly," she answered.

"Yeah, you have to learn to do that," he said. "That's one of the more important things to learn. You can move faster, get away faster…" He looked over at her seriously. "Really. You _do _need to learn that."

She huffed again. "I guess you're right. He's just so pissed at me right now."

"What for?" Catie asked.

"I guess I got there too late in the day," Sabriena answered.

"He is a morning person," Trunks stated. "I think he gets up at like five or something crazy like that."

"Jesus," Sabriena sighed and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. She dropped her hands back to her lap. "I guess I don't have any choice. He's the only one who's going to train me."

"I'd do it," Trunks offered, "but I'm training so much with my father, I don't really have the time to teach you all of that. Maybe if you were a little further along in your training…"

"It's cool," she said and got to her feet. "I guess if I'm going to get up that early, I'd better go to bed now."

"Tell him I said hello!" Trunks called after her.

She waved as she climbed the stairs and disappeared to the next floor.

"You think she's gonna do it?" Trunks asked.

Catie shook her head. "I dunno," she answered. "If it's something she really wants, maybe."

Trunks was about to ask another question, but there was a loud boom, followed by Jenny crying out in shock.

Vegeta's voice was dangerous as he growled, "Who's the bitch now?"

* * *

Tien woke with a start as someone banged on the door to his cabin. The early morning sunlight was just beginning to creep through the windows and the fire was low. He sat up and pulled on a pair of dark blue pants, getting to his feet. "Just a minute," he called as he tied his belt. He pulled on a long-sleeved gray shirt and crossed the house to wrench open the door.

He stared in surprise down at Sabriena, who was looking sheepish. She wore the charcoal peacoat again and her silvery sunglasses hid her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you were coming back."

"Yeah, well, I didn't either," she admitted. "Can I come in? It's colder than shit out here."

He stepped back and let her in, then shut the door and turned to her. He watched as she sat her big purse and two large paper bags on the table.

"What's that?" he asked, crossing his arms.

She pushed the sunglasses to the top of her head again and held out one of the bags. "Breakfast."

He lowered his arms. "You bought me food?"

"Well, you said we needed energy to learn this stuff," she muttered. She screwed up her face, closing one eye. "Peace offering?" she asked, swinging the bag at him.

He smiled. "Sure."

"Yay!" she giggled.

He blinked at her sudden giddiness. She practically danced around the table, setting out paper-wrapped fast food sandwiches and hashbrowns. "I didn't know how much to get. I wasn't sure how much you could eat."

He sat down at the table as she did the same.

"I've seen the way the other guys eat."

He laughed. "Well, I'm no Saiyan, but I can put it away if I'm hungry enough."

"Well then I hope you're hungry," she said, picking up one of the breakfast sandwiches and unwrapping it. "I got a few different things. Wasn't sure what you'd like."

"I don't usually eat fast food," he admitted. "I'm sure any of it will be fine."

"Help yourself," she said around a mouthful of food.

"You want me to make us some coffee?" he asked, getting up from the table again.

She nodded and continued to chew.

He stoked the fire in the stone fireplace. "It was really nice of you to do that."

She was still chewing as she said, "Well… I figured most guys respond well to food… I thought I could… bribe you into training me some more…"

He stood up straight and turned to her again. "You could've just asked."

She shrugged.

Tien set to fixing them coffee and finally sat back down at the table and slid her a tin cup of steaming black liquid before he grabbed a sandwich for himself.

She watched him over the rim of her cup as she sipped the hot coffee. It warmed her from the inside against the cold air of the cabin. She shivered. "Don't you freeze to death at night?"

He chewed and swallowed. "Nah. I've got a good quilt over there and if it gets too cold, I can throw some furs on the bed. I keep pretty warm."

A light touched her eyes. "Furs?"

He nodded and continued to eat. "I hunt and trap."

"Do you ever make stuff out of the furs?"

"I've made gloves," he answered. "And my cloak. It's made out of bear hide."

"Nuh-uh," she said, looking over at the heavy black cloak on the bed.

"Yeah," he smirked. "But mostly I use them for leather."

She crossed her arms over her chest and threw her left leg over her right. "Well look at you," she said, sitting back in the chair. "All self-sufficient and whatnot."

He tipped his head to the side, opening another sandwich. "I try."

Her eyes roamed over the cabin again, taking in the little details she'd missed the other day, letting him finish his meal in silence. There was a large antler rack over the front door with an arrow lying in the tines.

"You shoot that?" she asked, nodding at the door.

He followed her gaze and nodded. "Yup." He wadded up the wrappers from their meal and the paper bags and tossed them into the fireplace. "Thanks for breakfast. I do appreciate it."

"So you accept my bribe?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and sipping her coffee again.

He looked down his nose at her. "I accept your apology," he answered. "And I will still train you, if you want."

"Fair enough," she answered.

He sat back down at the table and took a big swig of his coffee before carefully setting it back on the table. He met her eyes with an even stare. "But we have to have some rules first."

She pursed her lips. She never did well with rules.

"You must be here on time every day," he said. "I don't have time to sit around wondering if you're going to show up or not. If you're not here by six, we don't train."

"Six?!" she screeched, nearly spilling her coffee in her lap. "I'll have to get up at four in the morning to make it here by then!"

"So go to bed early. What difference does it make?" he asked.

"What time do you go to bed?" she asked.

"Most nights I got to bed shortly after the sun goes down. Unless it's summer and it's really hot," he added. "Then sometimes I rest more during the day and try to work in the evening when it's not blistering hot out."

"Work doing what?" she asked.

"Gardening," he answered. "I grow a pretty decent sized garden every year."

"You ever keep livestock?" she asked.

He shook his head. "That's a lot of extra work. I get by with hunting and trapping."

"You're so weird," she muttered.

He scowled at her.

"Okay, okay," she huffed. "I'll be here at the ass-crack of dawn."

"Rule two: watch the language," he said in an exasperated tone.

"Wha… oh, fiiiiine." She rolled her eyes again.

"And the attitude. You could at least pretend to be interested in being here."

She set her jaw and gave a nod.

"Other than that, you should be fine as long as you listen," he said, picking his coffee cup up again. He finished it off and set it back on the table. "You ready to get started?"

She set her cup down and nodded.

"All right," he said, getting to his feet. "Let's pick up where we left off."


	5. A Healing Spell

Jenny woke with a start at the feel of Piccolo's strong hand on her shoulder. She blinked up at him and smiled. "Sorry," she yawned and sat up straighter. "I didn't mean to."

"You're working too hard," Piccolo said.

Jenny shook her head. "I'm not working hard enough. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong." She stared at the desktop she'd fallen asleep on, the bright noon sun reflecting off the white sheets of paper that were covered in sketches and notes. Her brain felt like static – just all white noise and crackling squiggly lines. She and Bulma had tried everything they could think of, even going so far as to double the weight and thickness of the Saiyan armor, much to Vegeta's protest. She'd tried imbuing the armor at every stage – the finished product, during the molding process, even the raw materials. Nothing worked. No matter what they did to it, an attack of pure magick just ripped right through, sometimes shattering or incinerating the entire chest plate.

Piccolo crouched next to his wife's desk and took her chin in his hand, turning her face towards him. "Jenny, you're doing everything you can," he said calmly.

She shook her head, but he gripped her chin tighter and met her eyes with a hard stare. "You are doing everything you can," he repeated slowly.

"It's not enough!" she insisted. "I can't… I just…" She pulled away from him and covered her face with her hands.

Piccolo sat down on the tile floor and pulled Jenny out of her chair and into his lap. She buried her face in his shirt as he hugged her tight against his chest. He could feel the frustration emanating from her. He didn't know how to help her, but he knew how important it was for her to make that armor work. Most of the Z-Fighters had never worn armor in battle, but after the way the last one went, they agreed it would be a good idea to have some for the next war. Piccolo didn't like the idea of wearing Saiyan armor at all, but he supposed it was better than being bitten by a dragon again. Anything was better than that. He suppressed the urge to shudder.

"I feel like such a failure," she whispered.

"No," Piccolo said in a soft voice. "No, Jenny, you're not." She was pressing her face to his chest, taking shuddering breaths, fighting the urge to cry. He hugged her tighter, trying to calm her. It broke his heart to see her so upset, especially when there was nothing he could do about it.

He rested his chin on his wife's head and watched as Paige toddled across the Lookout after Mr. Popo. She was in a light pink coat and had fluffy white earmuffs over her pointed little ears. "POPO!" she demanded grabbing for the watering can he held. "ME DO!"

Mr. Popo smiled down at the little half-namek and let her help him water the potted evergreens that grew along the edge of the Lookout.

Piccolo shook his head and smiled. Paige was learning to speak more and more and it was funny the way she strung words together in little sentences that were just big enough to get her point across.

"Come on," Piccolo said after a few minutes. "You're going to have to start getting ready here in a little bit."

Jenny shook her head and sat up straighter in his lap. "Nah, I'm not going. You go on without me."

Piccolo slowly closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "We've been over this. You need a break. And Leelee needs you right now."

"Piccolo!" Jenny protested, slapping the backs of her hands down in her lap. "I have to work!"

"It's making you crazy," he stated firmly, remembering the dark bruise on her left shoulder.

"I am not," she gasped.

"You called Vegeta a bitch," Piccolo deadpanned.

Jenny wrinkled one side of her nose. "Yeahhh… not my brightest moment." She sighed and slicked her long brown hair out of her face. "Oh, all right. I guess it couldn't hurt to take a couple hours off."

"Are we taking Alice and Paige with us?" Piccolo asked.

"No, Bulma wants them for the evening," Jenny answered. "She hasn't seen the girls in awhile."

"We'd better get ready to take them over to her, then," Piccolo sighed. 'All the way to West City, then all the way to Mount Pazou,' he thought.

Jenny nodded and started to get up, but Piccolo pulled her back into his lap. "Maybe later we can have some time together?" he asked softly. "Just the two of us?"

Jenny searched his eyes. It wasn't like him to make plans like that. "Well, yeah," she answered, "we can do that."

"I know you've been busy," he said quietly. "And I know what you're doing is important. But I miss you."

A knot formed in Jenny's throat. She'd been ignoring her husband and she didn't mean to.

"I'll make it up to you tonight," she whispered. "I promise."

He pulled her into a crushing kiss and she moaned against his lips.

"I promise," she whispered again and got to her feet.

"Oh, and Jenny," Piccolo said, smirking at her. "Pack the girls overnight bags for Bulma's."

Her eyes danced as a smile split her face. "You got it."

* * *

"Honey, am I doing this right?" Gohan asked nervously, stirring the pot of refried beans that popped at him.

She looked over his shoulder. "Oh, goodness," she gasped and turned the burner down. "You don't need it that hot, babe. Stir it."

Gohan pressed his lips together and stirred the food again. "I'm trying."

"I know you are," she smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Gohan had recently taken the initiative to help out around the house more and learn the proper way to go about cooking and laundry. Lindsey was proud of him, but he felt silly. He'd already made the mistake of mixing whites and colors in the washing machine and had burned the frozen pizza a few nights ago. She made these things look easy.

"I took care of my dad and brothers all those years," she kept reminding him. From the time she was eight, Lindsey had taken on most of the responsibility of cooking and cleaning around the house. Her grandmother was there, of course, but she spent a good deal of her time in the herb garden and greenhouse, making soaps and candles and herb sachets. Grandma never bothered with things like vacuuming the carpets or polishing the woodwork. But Grandma was a fantastic cook and took great pride in every dish she created. So while Lindsey learned to cook from her grandmother, the rest of the housework was hers to figure out on her own.

Gohan twirled the large wooden spoon around the inside of the pot. Lindsey placed her hand over his, guiding him.

"Drag it on the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn," she said softly.

"Sorry," he muttered again.

"You're fine," she said. "It's really nice of you to help make supper for everyone."

"Well, once the baby's here, I figure I ought to at least be able to make you something to eat," he answered.

She smiled and slid her arms around his waist, hugging his back as he cooked. "Thanks for taking care of me."

He turned around and smiled back at her. "Well of course!" He kissed her lips quickly. "I love you." He bent over and slid her shirt up to kiss her belly. "And I love you," he said. He straightened back up and locked his dark eyes on his wife's green ones. "I'll always take care of both of you."

She giggled as he slid her shirt back down over her growing tummy. "Four more months," she sighed. "And I'm already huge."

"No," Gohan said. "You're beautiful."

The doorbell chimed loudly and Lindsey hurried to answer it as Gohan stirred the food on the stove again.

"Hey lil mama!" Seventeen cried when Lindsey opened the door. "My god, look at you."

Lindsey ran a hand over her belly and smiled. "I know."

Seventeen squeezed her shoulders in a bone-crushing hug as Leelee stepped into the house.

"Leelee!" Lindsey grinned and hugged her friend.

"Hey, girlie," Leelee mumbled, hugging her back.

"Something smells good," Seventeen stated.

"Gohan's cooking," Lindsey snickered.

Seventeen's eyes went wide. "I thought you invited us over to feed us, not poison us."

"Actually," Lindsey said, taking Leelee's coat and hanging it in the closet, "you invited yourself and I never promised anything edible."

There were footsteps on the porch and Seventeen turned and opened the door. "Hey guys!"

Jenny stepped through the door, stomping snow from her shoes. "Man, it's cold out there."

"No munchkins?" Lindsey asked.

"No," Jenny answered, sniffling as her nose began to thaw, "Bulma stole them. Again."

"Lins! I think it's ready!" Gohan's voice called from the kitchen.

Jenny's eyes went wide. "He's cooking?" she whispered.

"Oh ye of little faith," Lindsey muttered, hanging Seventeen and Jenny's coats in the closet. "Come on."

Gohan looked extremely nervous as everyone sat down to their dinner of quesadillas, Spanish rice, and refried beans.

Lindsey was the first to dig in. "Mmm," she gushed. "Baby, you did a good job."

"Yeah?" he asked, his spirits lifting.

"Eat guys," Lindsey ordered.

"Well, she's not dying," Seventeen laughed. "I guess it's safe."

Dinner was surprisingly good. Everyone said so and Gohan blushed furiously. "I had help," he kept reminding them.

"Good lord, Lindsey," Jenny laughed as she watched her friend shovel food into her mouth. "You hungry?"

Lindsey paused for a moment and swallowed. "I'm pregnant! Didn't you eat like crazy?"

"Not like that," Jenny said, her eyes wide.

"Saiyan baby," Gohan reminded her.

"Is that the difference?" Jenny asked. "Cause I didn't eat nearly that much."

Lindsey raised her eyebrows. "Piccolo's a fighter too, wouldn't your all's babies need the same amount of food as a Saiyan?"

Piccolo shook his head. "I only need water to survive."

"You don't have to eat?" Lindsey asked in surprise. "So, food is just like a treat for you, huh?"

"More or less," he answered.

"Hmm," Lindsey said. "I didn't know that." She tucked into her food again. She looked across the table. "What about you, Seventeen?"

"Nah, he just has to go in for an oil change every three thousand miles," Gohan snickered.

Seventeen kicked Gohan. "I'm still part human," Seventeen answered Lindsey politely. "I still have to eat."

She nodded, shoveling more food in her mouth.

"God, I'd get sick if I ate that much," Leelee said. She shoved her plate away and sat back in the high-backed chair, tucking her chin into the collar of her dark gray turtleneck.

"Babe, these are our friends," Seventeen said softly. "You don't have to hide."

She shrugged.

Jenny set her fork down and looked across the table at Leelee. "We love you no matter what, you know that, right?"

Leelee nodded, but didn't meet Jenny's eyes. She hated this. She just wanted to be at home where she could read and sleep and hide. She was thankful the weather was still cold. She had no idea what she was going to do once the warmer weather hit again.

"You're okay, Leelee," Gohan added. "We won't judge you."

Lindsey could see the tears welling up in Leelee's eyes. "Don't push her, guys," Lindsey said softly. She met Leelee's eyes with a kind gaze. "You do what makes you comfortable, honey."

Leelee nodded again and grabbed the cuffs of her sleeves and pressed her wrists to her eyes.

Jenny decided to change the subject. "So how far along are you now?" Jenny asked Lindsey.

"Twenty two weeks," Lindsey answered.

Jenny gasped. "So do you know what you're having?"

"No," Gohan growled.

Lindsey smirked. "You kept Paige a secret," she said, "so we're going to make ours a surprise as well."

"But… but…" Jenny stammered. "I wanna know!"

"So do I," Gohan added.

"Nope," Lindsey giggled.

"So is it one or two?" Jenny asked.

Lindsey's face split wider. "ONE!" she cried, holding up her index finger in victory.

Jenny laughed.

"No twins for Lindsey!" Lindsey grinned, doing a little happy dance.

"Was that an issue?" Piccolo asked.

"Twins run in my family," Lindsey answered. "My parents had two sets of them. Blake and Bryson are identical. And my sisters are fraternal twins."

"I wasn't aware you had sisters," Piccolo said.

"You didn't meet them at the wedding?" Gohan asked.

Piccolo shook his head.

"You're lucky," Gohan and Jenny said together.

Seventeen snickered. "You don't like them?"

"They're awful, Seventeen," Jenny said.

"Jenny," Piccolo scolded.

"No, Piccolo, she's telling the truth," Lindsey put in. "Rude. Self-centered. Gorgeous. Spoiled."

"You talking about Sabriena?" Piccolo asked, a slight smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Sabriena pales in comparison," Jenny muttered.

"I find that hard to believe," Piccolo said.

"Yeah, well, just be glad you never have to find out," Lindsey said, finally pushing her plate away. "Oh my god, I'm so full."

"Finally," Leelee teased before she tucked back into her sweater.

"Jenny, you wanna help me clear the table?" Lindsey asked, shoving herself out of the chair.

"Sure," Jenny agreed and stood.

"I can do that," Gohan offered.

Lindsey kissed his forehead. "You cooked. We can handle the dishes. Ya'll go on in the living room. We'll be there in a minute."

Gohan, Piccolo and Seventeen headed out of the dining room while the girls began to clear the plates away.

"I'm really impressed with Gohan," Jenny commented. "He really did a good job."

"He's getting there," Lindsey grinned.

"So what's he hoping for?" Jenny asked, setting a stack of plates in the sink. "A boy or a girl?"

"A boy," Lindsey answered. "I think it'd be fun to have a girl, though."

"Girls are fun," Jenny smiled. "But I know Piccolo would've liked a boy."

"They seem more fun to dress up," Lindsey said. "Boys… well, they'd probably be easier to raise, though."

Jenny paused mid-step. "What do you mean?"

"Like, with girls, well… you know how bitchy we are," Lindsey explained. "And then you gotta worry about them dating and the way they dress and pay for their weddings…"

Jenny looked horrified. "Oh god, what have I done?!"

Lindsey threw her head back and laughed. "Jenny. Jenny!"

Jenny looked at Lindsey as if she was in a daze.

"They have Piccolo as their father," Lindsey said, trying not to smile too much, "And Vegeta. I don't think any boy in his right mind would dare to pull something stupid with one of your daughters."

"I have thirty years before I have to worry about that anyway," Jenny said and resumed clearing the table.

"Thirty years," Lindsey snickered. "Yeah, ok. You've got thirteen if you're lucky."

"Shut up!" Jenny snapped. "I will hit you."

"Can't!" Lindsey squealed. "I'm pregnant!"

"That never stopped Vegeta," Jenny grumbled.

"Well he ain't my teacher," Lindsey said. "And you ain't him. So you're not gonna hit me. I'm pregnant."

"Yer face ain't."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Girls?" Leelee interrupted.

They paused and turned to her.

"Yeah?" Jenny asked.

"I… I was just thinking about something," Leelee said nervously, hugging her arms around herself.

"What, Leelee?" Lindsey asked kindly.

"Well, those books you leant me," she started uncertainly, "I remember there being… healing spells in them. Do you girls think you could help me?"

"You trying to heal your scars, baby?" Jenny asked.

Leelee nodded, fighting tears again. She couldn't hold them back this time. "I hate the way I look," she sobbed.

Lindsey and Jenny rushed to her. She leaned against Jenny, sobbing on her shoulder.

"We'll help you," Jenny promised, looking at Lindsey, who nodded.

"Screw the dishes," Lindsey said. "Let's go upstairs. I've got my books up there."

"C-can we n-not tell the guys?" Leelee asked.

"Sure, honey," Jenny soothed.

"Come on," Lindsey said, taking Leelee by the elbow and leading her towards the living room.

Seventeen sat up straighter on the couch as the girls entered. "You guys okay?" he asked in a concerned voice. He could see how upset Leelee looked.

"We just need girl talk," Lindsey said airily and hurried up the stairs with Leelee and Jenny in tow.

He chewed the corner of his mouth skeptically, but sat back again and looked at Gohan. "So you ready?"

"Hmm?"

"For that baby to get here," Seventeen said.

Gohan took a shaky breath. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean, this is what I really wanted. I'm just a bit nervous, though, I guess." He looked over to Piccolo. "Got any tips?"

"Not really," Piccolo answered. "Just stay out of her way. They're women. They're better at this stuff than we are."

Gohan scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I don't think that's gonna fly with Lindsey."

"Just, you know… be there for her… I guess…" Seventeen said uncertainly. He shook his head. "Fuck, I got nothin'. You're on your own, man."

Gohan chuckled. "Thanks, guys. You're so helpful."

Seventeen propped his boots on the coffee table and stared at the TV. "Keep a safe distance and throw chocolate at her when she's bitchy," he added absentmindedly.

Gohan and Piccolo looked questioningly at him.

He shrugged. "Works on my sister."

Gohan looked at Piccolo out of the corner of his eye. "You think we should buy-"

"Way ahead of you," Piccolo answered.

* * *

Lindsey sat on her bed, thumbing through a large paperback. "Should we do a glamour spell?"

Jenny wrinkled her nose. "We want to heal the scars, not cover them up."

"But aren't they technically healed?" Lindsey countered. "Can you _heal _a scar?"

"Hmm," Jenny said thoughtfully. "Maybe not. It's more like we want to remove them." She looked cautiously over at Leelee. "How bad are they, honey?"

"Bad," Leelee murmured, looking down at the carpet as she leaned against a tall dresser.

Jenny chewed the inside of her cheek, thinking.

"Here," Lindsey said, holding out the open book to Jenny. "What do you think?"

Jenny scanned the page and nodded. "Do you have rosehip oil?"

"I do, as a matter of fact," Lindsey said, sliding off the bed and reaching under it. "I got a bunch of oils and stuff here awhile back." She pulled a wooden box from under the bed and flipped it open.

"What do we do with that oil?" Leelee asked, taking a step closer. She already didn't like the way this was going.

"We put it on your scars," Lindsey answered.

"No," Leelee said, shaking her head.

Lindsey withdrew the bottle and slid the box back under the bed. "Leelee, we're trying to help you."

"We're not going to judge," Jenny added, still looking at the book.

Leelee debated for a minute. "You promise?"

Jenny nodded. "Of course, honey."

"Okay," Leelee breathed.

Lindsey locked the bedroom door. "Let's call the quarters."

They dimmed the lights in the bedroom and Leelee stood in the middle of the floor. She closed her eyes and willed away the urge to cry again as she peeled her sweater off.

Lindsey looked over at Jenny, who was staring at Leelee's side. Her dark skin was puckered and rough over the left side of her torso and her left arm. Her legs turned out to be no better. Nearly half of Leelee's body was covered in burn scars. Jenny fixed Lindsey with a fierce stare and they nodded to each other. Jenny handed Leelee the book as she powered up, her hair turning to swirling blue water around her face and shoulders. Lindsey did the same, her own hair igniting in brilliant orange flames.

"You too," Jenny instructed Leelee.

Leelee closed her eyes for a minute, willing the transformation throughout her body. Her own hair lifted and her braids turned to swirling ropes of gray smoke. She loudly spoke the incantation, inviting the elements of earth, air, fire and water to aid their ritual.

"Okay, right hand only," Jenny instructed Lindsey as she poured a measure of the rose-scented oil into Lindsey's hand. "You receive energy with your left hand, you give it with your right. Just concentrate on sending her positive, healing energy."

Lindsey nodded. "I'm gonna put this on you," she said softly to Leelee, and slid her friend's bra strap down her shoulder to get to her skin easier. Leelee nodded.

Jenny knelt and began to apply the oil to Leelee's legs as Lindsey rubbed it into the side of her neck and shoulder, both of them willing the energy through their hands to her skin.

Leelee began to speak, her voice strong, but filled with emotion. "Great Mother, Goddess of healing, hear my spell. Heal me, inside and out. Touch me and remove these scars. Make me beautiful again with your healing touch. Heal me. Take my scars." She closed her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks. "Heal me," she whispered. "Heal me."

Lindsey and Jenny withdrew their hands, staring sadly at their friend as she begged for healing and beauty. Jenny squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face to the side, gripping the bottle of rosehip oil tightly in her hand. She couldn't let this happen again. She _had _to make that armor work. She just had to. She couldn't stand the pain in Leelee's voice. If she'd been able to continue putting up the protective shields, Piccolo wouldn't have been bitten by the dragon. Vegeta wouldn't have that mark on his left leg from the Horntail's spike. And Leelee wouldn't be standing here, covered in burn scars, begging and pleading with the Universe. Jenny just kept thinking it was all her fault and the only way to make it up to them was to make that armor work so that the next time, when the war came for real, she could protect them no matter what.

* * *

Author's Note: Did you guys notice the beautiful new cover for this story? Yeah. Yeah, you did, because it's effing gorgeous. And you know who made that for me? The amazing, beautiful, talented, full-of-awesome Jenny. Yes she did. And she fucking rocks. Send her a message on here and tell her so. JC 87 is her screenname. Go tell her how fucking brilliant she is. Cause I said so. Love you, Jen.


	6. Inspiration

"We better head out," Piccolo said, getting to his feet and going to the coat closet.

Jenny hugged each of her friends in turn. "I miss you guys."

"We miss you, too," Leelee murmured. "And thank you," she whispered. Leelee was in much better spirits after their ritual. Now it was only a matter of time to see how long the spell took to take effect.

"Thanks for dinner, Gohan," Jenny grinned as Piccolo helped her into her coat. "It was really good."

Gohan blushed again and muttered, "Thank you."

They waved goodbye as they stepped out into the cold night air and took to the sky. Jenny couldn't stop smiling as she thought about healing Leelee. It had broken her heart to see her friend's scars, but she was excited at the prospect of helping her friend to heal.

Piccolo noticed her smile raised an eyebrow at her. "You seem to be in a better mood."

Jenny glanced over at him, "Yeah, just…you were right. It was good to get out and see them." She mulled over her thoughts for a moment. He had been right, Leelee had needed her and no matter how much it hurt to see her friend so broken, it had strengthened her resolve to make the armor work. Even though they had nothing but flops so far, they couldn't give up. She couldn't give up.

The cloud cover parted for a moment as they raised their elevation in the air, the moonlight catching on Piccolo's face in a way that made Jenny's breath catch in her throat. The way that the silver light fell on his face, pronouncing his high cheek bones, brightened his eyes. She found herself feeling a little giddy and flew closer to him, reaching out and taking his hand bringing them to a stop.

Piccolo looked confused, "Is something wrong?"

Jenny only drifted closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, relishing in the warmth of his body in the cold air, "Not at all." She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, gently at first, then with more urgency as the kiss deepened. He was just reaching up to envelope her in his arms when she abruptly pulled back, her sly hands had slipped up and twisted into the fabric of his turban, pulling it off of his head and letting it fall to the ground far below.

She took his moment of shock to back away from him, her eyes dancing merrily before she winked and blew him a kiss before taking off at a playful speed towards the Lookout.

He growled, "Hey!" but he felt a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he followed after her, easily catching up and grabbing her up in his arms again. He grinned triumphantly down at her, "Caught you."

Jenny only smiled back at him, reaching up to cup his face in her hands, spreading her fingers out, the tips brushing against his ears. She never really did care much for that turban…or the cape. Much too bulky in her opinion, they hid too much of him from her sight. On the one hand though, it did keep her from jumping him every time he walked by.

Leisurely, she reached up to his antennae…she had never really touched them before as Piccolo had once told her they were sensitive… She briefly thought to herself how sensitive they would be and carefully, gently twirled her finger around one.

The reaction was instantaneous and the shudder that worked its way through Piccolo's body had her grinning. He stopped them in midair at that, his eyes widening for a moment before they narrowed at her, "Stop that."

She just smiled innocently at him, "Stop what? This?" She reached up with both hands now, letting her fingers curl around the other one, her thumb flicking the tip. A blush spread across the namek's cheeks and nose and he shuddered again.

A low growl sounded in his throat and he warned her again, "I am serious, Jenny. Stop it."

She wrapped her arms around his body as he let go of her, looking at her sternly. Her grin only widened and she trailed a hand down his chest, down between his legs, "My my, you keep saying stop, but your body says differently." She reached up a third time but his hand quickly grabbed her wrist.

"I said cut it out." His voice was low, filled with sudden need. He shivered again, the sensation from that simple touch was driving him absolutely insane…How…He blinked again, noting that Jenny had flown away and was messing with her shirt. A moment later something hit his face as his ears filled with her laughter His blush deepened as he looked down and saw his wife's lacy bra in his hands. When he looked up she was already flying away, heading towards the Lookout. He snorted and took off after her; so that's how she was going to play it. He felt a grin spreading across his face in spite of himself.

Jenny felt her heart soar as she rushed through the air towards the Lookout, she could already see it in the distance. She was glad, teasing Piccolo…and his newfound weakness was all fun, but it was incredibly cold and she couldn't wait to get him in their warm room. She was replaying his reaction to her ministrations over in her head, oh yes….that was definitely going to have to be explored more.

Her thoughts were her downfall as she was getting ready to land on the tiled floor, Piccolo caught her in his arms and swung her over his shoulder, carrying her straight for their room as she shrieked with surprise and delight.

As soon as they were in the familiar space, the door shut firmly behind them, he leaned down and captured his wife's lips with his own. His hands were tugging and pulling at her winter coat, sliding it down over her shoulders. Her breath was hot on his ear, "You are way too over dressed for this." Her own hands were not idle as they pulled at the top she wore, dragging it over her head, exposing her bare flesh to him. He smirked as he pulled back from her, flicking her long discarded bra at her before reaching up and removing his cape.

He had no sooner set it down on the floor when he found himself backed up and onto the bed. Jenny settled herself on his lap, leaning over him and placing hot kisses on his collar bone, up the side of his neck…she paused there feeling his pulse quickening as she let her hands roam up his arms. His hands came up to rest on her hips, pulling her firmly against him.

She just smirked, knowing what he wanted but ignored him and continued upwards, ghosting her lips around his ear, before going upwards towards her true goal.

The way he had reacted in the air towards her ministrations to those appendages…she just had to know…he tensed below her as he felt her direction, "Jenny…" He warned, his voice low and he made to reach up and pull her back down, but her lips found their mark before he had a chance.

Piccolo gasped out as he felt her hot, wet mouth engulf an antenna, instantly sending a jolt down to his groin where he felt himself harden and throb at the sensation. Her tongue twirled around the tip, her teeth lightly grazing it and he felt himself go weak at the sensations, it was all he could do to find purchase in her clothing as she continued this agonizingly slow torture of him.

He couldn't move, he could barely breathe and another gasp wrenched out of him, from the very depths of his chest when her warm hand wrapped around the neglected one. It was a torment, slow, delicious agony. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to regain some control, he wanted to move…to do something. He wanted to take her, pull her away from those and just slide into her, pound her into the mattress until she was the one writhing in sheer pleasure from his touch. His cock throbbed at the thought and he would have given anything for her to just reach down and touch him.

Piccolo opened his eyes to growl at her to do so and the words caught in his throat. Her round, beautiful breasts were mere inches away from his face, tantalizing, teasing him. He gasped out loud as she moved her mouth to the other antenna, her hand moving to grasp at the one that was still slick from her mouth, moving her hand on him as if she was …he took a deep breath, the sound escaping him was a growl…he couldn't move…his focus was narrowed down to two points, the amazing feelings coming from his antennae and the point between his legs.

He could only growl at her again, it was starting to be too much, he clenched at her tightly, his jaw set, every muscle in his body was tensed, rigid. It was becoming too much, so hard to form a coherent thought. She was moving so slowly, her tongue twirled around him at a leisurely pace that was sure to make him go absolutely mad. He heard a strange sound in the room and it took him a moment to realize that it was coming from him, a wanting sound between a whimper and a growl. He wanted her….gods, he wanted her to do more than just that. She had to move or he would lose it

Jenny sat atop of her husband, completely absorbed in her task, paying careful attention to his reactions to her every move. This was absolutely driving him insane, she noted from her seat. She moved her foot, brushing up against his straining erection, still clothed and marveled in the way he glared at her, before he hissed and arched against her, trying to make contact again. She moved her leg away from him down there and grinned at him. "Ah ah…you don't get off that easy…" she taunted. She reached out again with her tongue, starting at the base of the antenna at his forehead and dragging it out to the tip where she took him into her mouth. Her free hand went to his other one and very carefully moved her hand to stroke it, mimicking the way she normally would have stroked his hard length.

The resulting blush on his face was so worth it and she drank in the details, never before seeing her stoic husband come so undone from a simple touch. She leaned back, dropping the antenna from her mouth with an obscene pop and she met his heated gaze, his teeth bared at her in a fanged scowl. She sat back on his chest, dragging her hands down her body, stopping to cup and tease her breasts, never breaking eye contact with him…She let out a moan as his gaze followed her movement as she flicked a nipple and ground herself against him. Never before had she felt so in control over him. So much power from such a simple act.

Her eyes snapped open wider as her brain suddenly made a connection…and she nearly split her face with the grin that came with her new idea. It was brilliant…why hadn't she thought of it before?

A needy growl snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked back down at Piccolo. A thin sheen of sweat had formed over his body, his face a dark shade of purple and if looks could kill, she would surely be dead several times over.

She let her hands trail back down her front, ghosting over the front of her pants before sliding onto his chest, pausing to flick at his own budded nipples, before trailing back up to his forehead, "Now now, so impatient aren't you?" Her voice was low and sultry, "You were right, you know…about needing to slow down and take a break…if only you could see the clarity it has given me."

Clarity? His eyes narrowed at her in confusion. What was she talking about?

She leaned down, letting her lips ghost over his, to his ear. Her tongue darted out and traced the shell of it before she spoke hotly, "You need a reward."

Carefully, she wrapped her lips around the tip of his ear, sucking lightly while letting her hands go back up and allowed each to wrap around an antenna. The reaction was violent.

Piccolo was going insane. Absolutely insane. When she pulled back and started touching herself, he wanted nothing more to throw her to the bed for such insolence, for stringing him out like that and then leaving him hanging….aching. What was worse was he couldn't seem to find the strength to move…his entire body was tensed waiting. Oh he would get her back for this. Something about the way she touched his antennae, how she slowly pleasured and tortured him, had made his entire body seize up as though he were paralyzed.

He keened, his fists clenching at his sides when she spoke into his ear…he wanted to shudder. To move. To do anything! Then her warm hands wrapped around him and tugged.

His world exploded around him, as his body finally arched up and off the bed, his back popped, his toes curled with the pleasure that finally, FINALLY, crested and washed over him. He roared and grabbed at her, finding himself able to move once gain, crushing her to him as another wave crashed into him. His vision going white, his breathing ragged and it was all he could do to hold on to her as he emptied himself against her…

Jenny was aching as she watched him spend himself. His teeth bared, the way he crushed her to his chest as he came with a shout and she couldn't help but feeling a swell of pride growing within her, that she had caused him so much pleasure without even touching him…well…not in the usual place any way.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally relaxed back, sinking down into the bed sheets. His features relaxed, his breathing evened out. She couldn't wipe the smirk on her face when he finally cracked his eyes open to look at her. He tried to glare, but it was hard to feel the bite of it when he looked so thoroughly fucked. She reached out and traced his lips with a fingertip, "Good?"

Piccolo could only groan out a response, still feeling quite drained from such an... intense... orgasm. Intense was an understatement. He felt boneless, to say the least. Never before had he guessed that his antennae were _that_ sensitive. Holy shit. He barely registered the sharp, yet playful slap to his chest and the sudden absence of his wife's weight on his chest. She had said something.

"What?" He growled after her and tried to find the strength within him to push himself up, watching completely bewildered as she got dressed again.

She laughed, "I really did a number on you, didn't I? I said, we're going to Capsule Corp. Now. Let's go."

"Capsule Corp? What for?"

Her eyes were dancing as she flipped her long brown hair from the collar of her shirt. "Remember when Leelee had that vision? She and Seventeen used sex to up her magick. Like, boost her powers."

"Yeah," he answered, rubbing at his eyes. His brain was struggling to follow her.

"So that's what we're going to do!" Jenny grinned. "We're going to use sex magick to imbue the armor! It's gotta work. I _know _it will!"

Piccolo's mind struggled to keep up with the words Jenny was saying…he had just come the hardest he had ever in his entire life and she wanted him to do what? "You honestly expect me to perform now?!"

If he could, he would have wiped that look off of her face when she smiled mischievously over at him and said, "No, not now. When we get to Capsule Corp. You should be good to go again by then, right?"

Oh by the gods…He let himself fall back against the pillows, "You're going to kill me, woman."

* * *

Big shout-out to Jenny for this chapter! She wrote it, so all praise goes to her. Thanks, babe. I owe you one for such a wonderfully steamy chapter!


	7. Primal

Jenny and Piccolo quietly slipped through the front doors of Capsule Corp, listening carefully for the sound of anyone who might still be awake. The house was silent and dark.

"This way," Jenny said softly, leading the way down a hall towards Bulma's lab.

"Vegeta's bound to sense us," Piccolo said. "This isn't going to work, Jenny."

"Yes it is!" she insisted, turning a corner. "We've tried everything else. This has to work."

Piccolo sighed as he continued to follow her. He felt terribly uncomfortable at the prospect of making love to his wife in someone else's house. Especially Vegeta's house. Not to mention he was already exhausted. His whole body still felt shaky.

"Here we are," Jenny said, sliding open the door to Bulma's lab.

"Oh!" Bulma cried. She gasped and held her hand to her chest. "Jenny! I didn't know you were here."

Jenny's shoulders slumped. She hadn't been expecting to see Bulma any more than Bulma had expected to see her. "Hey."

A slight wave of relief washed over Piccolo. If Bulma was up and working on the armor, there was no way Jenny would attempt this now. It wasn't that he didn't want to help her, but he was feeling extremely out of his element.

"What are you doing here so late?" Bulma asked, pouring herself another cup of coffee from the machine sitting on the counter.

Jenny chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment, debating. She drew a long breath through her nose and said, "I want to try sex magick."

Bulma choked on her coffee. She clapped a hand to her mouth, trying to catch the coffee that dripped from her chin. "You what?!" She grabbed a napkin and wiped her hands and her face, mopping at her blouse.

"Remember when Leelee had that last vision? It was because she was using magick while having sex! If I –"

You could see the wheels turning in Bulma's brain as she cut across Jenny, "If you can do that with the armor…"

"YES!" Jenny cried excitedly.

Bulma picked up her coffee cup and sipped it again, staring thoughtfully at the wall. She suddenly lowered her cup and turned to Jenny. "Go for it."

Jenny clapped her hands together as Piccolo turned red. He couldn't believe Bulma would consent to this in her own lab.

"Oh, and Bulma," Jenny said nervously, "if Vegeta were to notice… I mean, if he walked in…"

Bulma grinned. "Don't you worry about him. I'll keep him good and distracted for you."

"You're the best!" Jenny squealed.

Bulma looked up at Piccolo and playfully punched his arm. "Go get her, tiger," she winked and exited the lab, sliding the door shut behind her.

Jenny doubled over in laughter at the horrified look on Piccolo's face, which had turned absolutely scarlet.

* * *

Bulma wandered back out into the hallway, wondering where on earth Vegeta could be. It wasn't until she hit the kitchen and noticed the soft light from the hot tub that she found him. She started for the door, but stopped when she remembered the spilled coffee. She smirked to herself and tore the soiled piece of clothing away and ruffled up her own hair a bit. She gasped as the cold winter air hit her bare midriff as she stepped out onto the dimly lit patio.

Vegeta heard his wife's voice and turned his head to look at her. A soft smile was pulling at Bulma's lips as she stood there, one hand on her hip, staring at him. She wore only a short black skirt, black heels, and her black bra. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Want some company?"

He smiled back at her devilishly. "Sure."

She walked slowly to the edge of the tub, drawing her knees up a little higher than was necessary, unbuttoning the waist of her skirt as she went. She bit her lip seductively as she slid the skirt from her hips, revealing the black lace panties she wore.

Vegeta shifted in the hot water, his body aroused at the sight of her. She leaned over the tub and brushed her lips against his and stepped quickly back out of his reach as he grabbed for her. He smirked. "Come here, woman."

"Now, now, Vegeta," she scolded. "Don't you want to take time to appreciate the view?" She turned slowly on the spot, letting him drink in the vision of her curves. He was breathing heavy as he watched her. He shifted in his seat again and a moment later tossed his swimming trunks over the side of the tub.

Bulma kept her eyes on him as she unclasped her bra and slid the straps from her shoulders, still holding the cups over her breasts. She turned again, revealing her bare back and looked over her shoulder, giggling at him. She loved the way he was looking at her, so full of lust and need. The prince of all Saiyans, wanting her and only her; it thrilled her to her very core. She lightly tossed her bra to the side and turned towards him once again.

Vegeta's eyes roamed over her full breasts, her nipples hard in the icy winter air. He could feel the want pooling in his stomach, his breathing ragged as his body grew hard in the hot, swirling water.

Bulma ran her hands up over her chest, moaning as she teased herself for him. Her left hand still grabbing at her breast, she slid her right hand into her panties. Vegeta's gaze was intense as he watched her – her fingers were just barely visible through the dark lace as they moved against her body. She whimpered as she pleasured herself for him.

"I said come here," Vegeta repeated, his voice stern.

She stepped closer to the tub again and withdrew her hand from her body, holding it out towards him. Her fingers glistened in the dim light. Vegeta grabbed her wrist and captured her fingers in his mouth, sucking her juices from her fingers. Bulma closed her eyes and moaned as his mouth pulled at her hand. She regained her composure quickly and slowly pulled her hand away, stepping out of his reach again. She twisted around and bent double, pulling her panties off and exposing her body to him.

Vegeta shifted again and growled. "You try my patience."

She stood up again and giggled. "Am I to be punished?"

He smirked again. "Come here now."

The commanding tone in his voice made her knees go weak and she obeyed, stepping out of her heels and slowly sliding her feet into the bubbling, hot water. She stood on the seat, her silhouette looming over him as he looked up at her.

"Naughty," he growled and brought his hand up sharply to grab her ass, digging his fingers into the soft flesh as he kissed the front of her thigh.

Bulma whimpered at the harsh slap of his hand. Her knees were weak already and she wasn't sure how long she could stand there. She reached down and grabbed his shoulder with her nails, digging them into his skin, tracing the crescent shaped scar at the side of his neck. Vegeta growled in warning. He pulled her down onto his lap suddenly and pressed his face between her breasts. She grabbed the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his dark hair as she felt his hot mouth trail along her chest. He quickly worked his way over to her right breast, capturing it in his mouth, sucking and flicking it with his tongue as she whimpered again. He moved his face side-to-side, never releasing his hold on her nipple and sucked it harder as his hands wrapped around her waist.

"The other one, too," she begged in a loud whisper. She threw her head back and hissed in pleasure as Vegeta's hand traveled up to pinch the ignored flesh. Vegeta stood and turned to sit Bulma in the seat, the warm jets of water shooting against her back. He stood in front of her, the waterline just below his hips.

She shivered as she stared at him through the steam of the hot tub. Water droplets trailed down his shoulders, over his chest, down the flat muscles of his stomach to the hard lines of his hips.

He reached for her, grabbing her by the back of her head, pulling her face to him.

"Suck it."

Bulma obeyed, smiling inside at the sound of Vegeta's groan as she captured him in her mouth. She sucked his hard length slowly, trailing her tongue along it, relishing the feel of it in her mouth. Vegeta's arm stiffened, his fingers snarling in her hair, and she found herself unable to move her neck. His other hand trailed to her jaw, gently cupping her chin as he began to thrust into her mouth. Bulma sighed through her nose and closed her eyes briefly, excitement welling within her. She loved it when he was forceful and commanding like this. Nothing thrilled her more than when her prince took what he wanted from her. His grip on her chin tightened as he slid himself deeper into her mouth, pressing against the back of her throat. She moaned and he shivered, but took advantage of her opened throat and slid himself deeper into her mouth. She reached up and grabbed his hips with both hands, pulling him to her again and again.

"Oh, you want it." His voice was low, prideful. She could hear him smirking at her. She pulled at him with her mouth, wrapping her lips tightly around his thickness, pressing against it with her tongue. He groaned low in his throat. She sucked harder, wanting nothing more than to pleasure him, than to draw out that hot liquid from his body, to drink him in until he was spent. Her hands traveled up to the small of his back, her fingertips circling the oh-so-sensitive scar on his back.

"You'll not get off that easy," he warned. "If you want it, fine, but I'm still going to fuck you."

Bulma moaned enthusiastically as she pressed her fingertips harder against the scar. His reaction was almost instantaneous. He panted through clenched teeth as his hard length exploded down her throat, the pleasure ripping through his every nerve as she devoured him. She sucked harder still, pulling every delicious drop of him into her mouth as his fingers relaxed in her hair. She pulled back and stared up at him, her big blue eyes meeting his ebony black ones and she swallowed.

He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling visibly. "Now you're in for it."

He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around, bending her over the edge of the hot tub. One hand on her shoulder, he leaned over her, breathing hotly against her ear as his other hand ran down her back and over the curve of her ass. She gripped the edge of the tub, her nails digging into the hard wood frame. His fingers found the aching slit between her legs and began a rough, torturous dance against her most sensitive spot. Bulma cried out and pressed her hips back, wanting to feel his hand inside her, but his grip on her shoulder tightened, holding her in place. His hand slapped her ass again, the sharp pain made her whimper.

"Beg for it," he whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against the side of her face. He touched her again, his fingers flicking harshly at the aroused nub of flesh. Oh, gods, she wanted him.

"Please," she begged. "I want it. I want you. I want it inside me… now… please, my prince."

"Good bitch," he growled and slowly trailed his fingers up to slide inside her.

Bulma leaned her head back and moaned as his fingers danced inside her. "More," she begged. "Please."

"Please what?" he barked.

"Please, _sir," _she corrected herself.

He withdrew his hand and she was suddenly aware of how empty her body felt, how much she wanted to feel him fill her. She was aching to feel him fill her body. He shifted behind her, she could feel the head of his erection pressing against her body. She trembled in anticipation and tried to buck herself back to capture him in her body. His hand quickly grabbed her hip and stopped her.

"Do you know how much you try my patience?" he hissed in her ear. His right hand slid under her ribs, pressing up against her chest until his fingers wrapped around her throat. "How infuriating you are?"

A thrill of excitement shot through Bulma's body as Vegeta's hand tightened on her throat. He was rubbing his hard length between her legs, it barely catching on the opening to her body as his hand restricted her breathing. His left hand slid up to grip her breast, he pinched her nipple harshly and rolled it between his fingers and thumb. This was torture. She was aching more than ever for him to claim her, to use her body as pleasure for himself, to take complete ownership of her. He could hurt her if he wanted to… could take her life in an instant the way he was holding her, squeezing her throat, determining how much air she was allowed to breathe…

"Please," she gasped, her voice a raspy whimper.

"Please, _what_?"

"Please fuck me," she choked out. "Please… prince Vegeta."

A strangled scream issued from her throat as he ripped through her body, their hips meeting, his hard length embedded harshly in her hot wetness. She tried to wiggle against him as his left hand closed over her hip. He slammed into her once again and growled in her ear. "You see what happens when you taunt the Prince of Saiyans?"

Bulma could only gasp in short, restricted breaths as he began to fuck her. His body shook as he pounded himself into her, the hot water swirling around them, the jets of the hot tub shooting against sensitive flesh… He leaned over her body, the hot, hard muscles of his chest and stomach pressing against her back as he continued to whisper harshly in her ear. "You like it, don't you? You like it when I… _fuck you,_" the last words were strained as he drove harder into her fiery sheath. He was raw lust as he claimed her; he lifted one leg to rest on the seat of the tub, allowing him to slam harder into her.

Bulma felt like her body was shattering in exquisite torment. His cock was so thick, so hard within her as it hit the tender, sensitive spot deep within her, making her want to cry from pleasure. She would be sore tomorrow, she knew it, and she didn't give a damn. This was so worth it. She could feel her body stretch to accommodate his size, could feel the shivers of pleasure from his body, his hot breath against her ear. His fingers tightened on her throat a bit more.

The edges of her vision darkened, little lights popping in her eyes. He was in complete control and she was powerless against him. He could end her life in an instant if he wanted. He slammed harder into her, the impact so harsh it felt like her very bones could shatter. His body was rigid with need as he took what he wanted from her.

"I own you," he growled.

She clenched around him at his words. "Yes," she managed to squeak out. Her brain was going foggy from a lack of oxygen. Her nerves were singing with the sensations of his body against hers, inside hers. She felt him tense against her back… oh, sweet Jesus, no… she didn't know if she could take it…

The side of the house was thrown into sharp relief as the light from Vegeta's aura lit up the night. His erection swelled within her, making her ache and scream out as he stretched her to her brink. "Vegeta!" she cried with what little air her lungs held. His hand on her hip slammed her against him with a crushing force. She was aching for release, hurting for it… Oh dear gods, she couldn't take much more. "I… want to see you…" she begged. He was harder than before, if that were possible, his energy engulfed her, consumed her. "Please…" her voice was raspy as she begged. Begged to see him, the legendary warrior, claiming her as his own and no other's. "I want to watch you fuck me," her voice so high and desperate she was amazed he could even hear her.

His grip on her throat withdrew suddenly and she gratefully sucked in a lungful of air. Oh, sweet merciful… Before she could even form a coherent thought, he turned her around and grabbed her by the throat again, driving himself into her once more.

She stared up at him through heavy eyes, her neck pinned against the edge of the tub. The look on his face was fierce as he stared down at her. His seafoam green eyes burned with desire and lust as his body met hers again and again. She could feel the climax building strongly within her. It wouldn't take much now, not with the way he stared at her, that signature smirk pulling at his lips, his arm tensed as he held her in place, claiming her.

He could feel her clenching around him, her body going rigid as she neared that precipice. His hand closed on her throat a little more. "You don't come until I say you can, whore."

Bulma screamed inside. Oh, how his words inflamed her. Her whole body seemed to rip apart, needing him, wanting him… God _damn_ how it turned her on when he spoke to her like that. She screamed at him, baring her teeth, the vibration from her throat rumbling against his palm. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her thighs clenched around his hips, pulling his body into hers with all her strength.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "I SAID NO!" His hand gripped her neck tighter… she couldn't breathe at all. A panic filled her chest as fear shot up her spine… he wouldn't! Had she pushed him too far? He held her there, still smirking at the terror in her beautiful blue eyes and he slowly lessened his grip, just a bit. The air poured down her burning throat, her jaws watering. He stopped his pleasuring of her body, his hard length buried deep within her and leaned over her, his mouth a fraction of an inch from hers. "You try my patience," he whispered.

He began to thrust into her again, keeping her teetering on the edge of orgasm, reveling in the control he had over her. She wanted it so bad. Her toes were curling in the hot water as she tried to buck her hips against him. Her vision was hazy, his grip still strong around her neck as his free hand slid around her waist, lifting her against him. The heat building within her burned from the inside out. He consumed her like no other had. She strained to focus on him… on his golden hair, his green eyes that were narrowed and concentrated on her. She could see the lust… the control… the pure domination in those seafoam eyes that haunted and thrilled her. How lucky was she? How many others had begged him – begged him for life, for mercy… How many had he wanted to beg him… Had he made beg him… He loved the raw power he held over others. And she loved it, too. Knowing how powerful he was… Knowing _what _he was…

"Vegeta, _please," _her voice was more desperate than it had ever been. It was a high, strained sound of a woman who needed him, needed his permission. "Let me come… my prince… please… I want you… inside me. Please, come inside me…"

He couldn't hold back any longer. The pleading in her voice ripped through his core, fueling his pride. He could see it on her face… her body was nearly spent. He pounded harder into her, his cock throbbing with a need for release. She screamed at him again through clenched teeth… he could feel it through his hand…

"Come with me now," he ordered, his own voice husky and low. He drove faster into her slick heat, his body consumed with her as she clenched around him, so tight and wet and hot…

Bulma's eyes rolled back in her head as the orgasm slammed into her, ripping through her senses, washing over her… oh, sweet relief… Vegeta roared as he came within her… a raw, primal sound that turned Bulma's blood cold… more animal than man as he screamed to the night… She felt him shudder as his body drained into hers, filling her body with that deliciously hot liquid. His fingers slipped from her neck, his hair fell back to the ebony spikes and he collapsed against her chest.

They were panting, unable to catch their breath as they shivered in the hot water, clinging to one another. Vegeta closed his eyes and buried his face against her breasts, wrapping his arms around her waist. His shoulders were heaving as he trembled all over. Bulma leaned her head back on the rim of the tub, sucking in gasps of air as her legs drifted weightlessly in the hot water, one arm around Vegeta's shoulders.

He finally found the strength to lift his head and look at her. Her eyes were half-open as she returned his stare. He smirked again and gently took her chin in his hand as he pressed his lips to hers softly, gently. He carefully broke the kiss, his eyes meeting hers once more and she gave him a small smile. He rested against her chest again, smiling to himself. He was so lucky to have a woman like her who understood him, who gave him everything he could ever want. She trusted him completely, gave him a power that he could only dream of before he'd met her. She was perfection. She was his princess. And he knew as long as he lived, there would never be another like her in the entire world.


	8. So Close

Jenny collapsed against Piccolo's chest, struggling to catch her breath, every ounce of her energy and magick spent. They were both covered in sweat as they lay on the cool tile floor; there was a thick blue haze in the air.

"Wow," Piccolo breathed, one arm draped over Jenny's back.

She could barely nod.

He tilted his head down to look at her. "You okay?"

"Just… tired," she panted. His bare chest was hot against her face as she stared over at the wall, her eyes half-open. She felt like she could sleep for a week straight.

"Come on," he said, rubbing her back and sitting up.

"Don't wanna," she whined.

Piccolo frowned as he looked around the room. The air was crackling with magick, the blue haze so thick, you could barely see through it. "I think we over did it."

Jenny forced herself to look around the room, too. "Oh, it's pretty though."

"Pretty won't win a war," Piccolo said as he lifted her off his lap. Her knees buckled and he had to catch her. He sighed heavily and got to his feet, reaching for a computer chair. He wheeled it over and sat her firmly in it.

Jenny giggled. "I'm naked in Bulma's chair. She's gonna be sooooo pissed."

Piccolo blinked, disbelieving at his wife. "Are you… drunk?"

She screwed up her face. "Maybe a little?" Her eyes went wide. "Wooooo. This is _weird."_

"I don't remember Leelee acting like this," Piccolo said, frowning again. "Did we do something wrong?"

"Open the door," Jenny said. "There's too much in here."

Piccolo dressed again, then turned to her. "Aren't you getting dressed first?"

"Oh yeah!" she breathed then hiccupped. "Oh, make it stop."

He grabbed her jeans and other clothes off the table and handed them to her. He watched her struggle to dress as the magick in the air started to dissipate. "Your underwear's on backwards and your shirt is inside out."

"I don't give a… _hic… _fuck."

He waited until she got unsteadily to her feet before he pulled her shirt off, turned it right, and slid it back over her head.

"Picky, picky, picky," she muttered.

"Let's get you some fresh air," Piccolo muttered, offering her his elbow, and led her out into the hallway. She leaned heavily on him, grabbing his arm with both her hands, her legs slightly out to the side. "Vegeta will kill you if he sees you like this."

"Dad don't scare me," she said in a mock-brave tone.

Piccolo raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

She stared up at him wide-eyed. "What?"

"You just called Vegeta 'dad'," he answered.

"Oops," she giggled. She pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhhh! Don't tell him."

Piccolo nodded. "Wouldn't dream of it."

They continued down the hallway to the backyard and stepped out into the cool night air. Far to their right on the patio, Vegeta was rubbing at his head with a towel, his swimming shorts clinging to his legs.

"Oh, hey, Ve-_hic-_geta!" Jenny called, letting go of Piccolos arm and waving. She took a couple steps towards him and stumbled, falling to her hands and knees in the grass.

"Jenny," Piccolo growled in a warning voice.

"What the blazes is wrong with her?" Vegeta demanded, stomping across the frozen grass.

Jenny fell to her side, giggling like mad.

"Is she drunk?!"

"I'm afraid so," Piccolo answered dryly, staring disapprovingly down at her.

"What's going on, guys?" Bulma asked, reemerging from the house.

"I told you to hide the wine," Vegeta stated.

Bulma shook her head in confusion. "I did!"

Vegeta pointed accusingly at Jenny.

Bulma crouched down next to Jenny. "Are you okay?" she asked in an amused tone.

"Too much… _hic…_ magick," Jenny giggled.

Bulma's eyes went wide. "Did it work?"

"I dunno," Jenny said, running her hands over her face. "Oh, this is weird. I haven't been drunk in years."

"Quit making babies and you could have a proper drink," Bulma teased.

"But making babies is fuuuuuuuun!" Jenny insisted. Piccolo's face went red as Bulma threw her head back and laughed.

"What magick are you talking about?" Vegeta asked sternly and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

"She had a new idea about imbuing the armor with magick," Bulma answered.

"Well let's go see if it worked then," Vegeta said and turned on his heel to reenter the house.

"Jen, you gotta calm down," Bulma said.

"Okay," Jenny said, rolling to her chest to lay flat in the grass. "Hold… hold on," she giggled. She settled her face into a calm expression and closed her eyes. She drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled, concentrating on letting the excess magick flow back into the earth. After a few moments she felt calm again and was able to stand.

"Oh, that's better," she said softly. She brushed her hair out of her face and looked around at them. "I'm sorry, guys. I don't know what that was all about."

"Well, come on!" Bulma cried, her eyes dancing. "Let's see if it worked!" She grabbed Jenny by the hand and dragged her back into the house, practically skipping as she went.

Vegeta cocked his jaw to the side as he watched them. "Woman, you act as if you were a child when you're around her."

"Don't judge me!" Bulma called back over her shoulder.

She and Jenny were the first to make it into the lab and immediately they went to the three sets of Saiyan armor that were displayed on wire mannequins. Bulma touched one and jumped as a thin sheen of shimmering blue erupted in ripples over the white chest plate.

"Oh wow," Bulma breathed. "Jenny… I think you did it!"

Jenny was staring in awe at the armor. She simultaneously wanted to poke it over and over again, yet she was afraid to touch it as if the spell might break.

"Did it work?" Vegeta asked, entering the room with Piccolo.

"I think so!" Bulma answered excitedly.

He stepped closer to the armor and touched it the way Bulma had. He grinned at the rippling blue shimmers. "Well done, Jennifer."

She beamed.

"All right," Bulma said. "Take it over in the corner and test it out."

Jenny slid the armor up over the mannequin and carried it carefully to the other side of the lab and hooked it to the wires she and Bulma had suspended from the ceiling. She marveled at the way the magick shimmered lightly over it. She'd never gotten this far before. She took several steps back then turned to face the armor. She powered up, her hair turning to swirling blue water around her face and shoulders, her eyes deep, churning pools of blue. She held her hands out in front of her, gathering together the magickal energy that was still heavy in the air of the lab. She drew it together, forming a burning blue orb between her palms. She moved all the energy to one hand and with a shout she heaved it like a baseball at the armor. She braced for the explosion that usually followed, but this time, the magick rebounded and she had to think fast to catch it. She gasped, staring at the armor swinging from the wires. It was untouched.

She absorbed the magickal blast into her hand and screamed in victory, throwing her arms above her head. Bulma ran to her and hugged her as Piccolo smiled approvingly and Vegeta went to inspect the armor.

"VICTORY IS MINE!" Jenny cried.

Bulma was grinning like crazy. "And what a fun way to do it!"

Vegeta turned from the armor, looking suspicious, "Do what?"

Bulma clapped her hands over her mouth as Jenny hissed, "Bulma!"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment the door to the lab slid open and Sabriena wandered in, looking extremely sleepy, but fully dressed down to her boots and coat.

"You going somewhere?" Piccolo asked, raising an eyebrow.

She yawned and nodded. "Training."

Vegeta scoffed, but she ignored him.

"So what are ya'll up to?" she asked.

"Come here!" Jenny cried excitedly. "I got the armor to work!"

"Oooo!" Sabriena smiled, looking much more awake. She trotted over to the other side of the lab with Jenny as Vegeta moved away from the armor.

Jenny powered up again and summoned another orb of magickal energy. She took careful aim and heaved it at the armor. There was an explosion as the orb hit this time and everyone cringed, covering their faces as the orb smashed into the armor. When the dust settled, there was no armor left on the wires and a fresh scorch mark marred the wall.

"But… I – I don't understand!" Jenny cried. "It worked! I… we…"

"Jenny," Piccolo started in a calming voice.

"GODDAMNIT!" Jenny screamed, tearing at her hair that had returned to its normal brown. "I have tried everything! EVERYTHING! Blessing it, enchanting it, and now even the sex magick didn't work! Leelee is so full of shit!"

"Do _what_?!" Vegeta snapped.

Piccolo covered his eyes with one hand, but Jenny turned on Vegeta. "I didn't stutter! I have tried _everything_!" In her anger she kicked the long metal table, sending it sliding across the floor to slam against the wall. The papers covered in sketches and notes flew through the air and rustled to the floor as Jenny's shoulders heaved from her heavy panting. It wasn't enough. Her hair turned to swirling water again as she powered up, pacing around the room screaming at the top of her lungs. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong! This is complete and utter horseshit! GAHHHH! I just need to hit something!"

Vegeta turned his shoulder to her and flexed his arm, slapping it once with his other hand. Jenny punched him as hard as she could as she marched by, not breaking step. He actually took a step back to regain his balance, she'd hit him that hard.

"What am I doing wrong?!" she fumed, rubbing her fist.

"Maybe the sex wasn't good enough," Sabriena stated bluntly, sipping the soda she'd carried in with her.

Jenny's head whipped around, her eyes blazing. "Excuse me?"

"Hey," Sabriena said, holding her hands up defensively. "Just saying. The sex magick worked for Leelee and it didn't for you. Course she had that sexy ass android…"

"SABRIENA ANNE SCHULER, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Sabriena realized she's gone too far and turned on her heel to run from the lab as Jenny gave chase. Her boots slapped the tile floor as she ran, Jenny screaming obscenities after her.

Vegeta turned to Bulma, who was looking shocked and disappointed. "Did you know about this?" he demanded.

Bulma nodded and turned away from him.

"How could you… You knew they… What is wrong with you people?!"

Bulma whipped back around, angry tears in her eyes. "Don't start with me, Vegeta! It's something we hadn't tried yet! I'm so… _frustrated…_ that I was willing to try anything! I can't let you go back into a fight without knowing that I've done everything I can to help you!" She was staring miserably at his left leg, at the jagged scar that was just visible below the hemline of his shorts. Dende had been able to heal the wound, but Vegeta would carry that scar for the rest of his life.

Vegeta blinked in shock at her. It was a rare thing for his wife to be moved to tears. This was eating at her worse than he had realized. But that didn't excuse what had happened without his knowledge. Then again, would he have really wanted to know what was going on? Probably not. He shook his head. "No control in this house. Not one goddamn ounce of control."

Bulma picked up the pieces of paper that were scattered on the floor and set them back on the table, then pulled the table back to its regular spot in the middle of the room. She leaned her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands. "Damn it," she whispered.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Piccolo. "Hope you're proud of yourself."

Piccolo's jaw fell open. "What? I… but…"

Vegeta stormed out of the lab, leaving Piccolo stammering in embarrassment behind him.

Jenny was marching back up the hall. "Training my ass. She's lucky that model of hover car is so goddamn fast. I swear, when she shows up here again…" She stopped when she saw Vegeta. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To bed," he answered. He was in no mood for any more shenanigans tonight. He was tired from his time with Bulma in the hot tub, he was stressed out now that the armor had failed again, and all he wanted was to pass out for a few hours in bed.

"Uh-uh," Jenny stated. "Gravity Room. Now."

"You think you can tell me what to do in my own house?" Vegeta snapped. "It's four in the morning! You've lost your mind."

"Gravity Room now!" she shouted, pointing down the hall. She clenched her teeth together. "_Please_?!"

Vegeta sighed at the desperate sound of her voice. She needed to work off her frustration or she was never going to be able to think straight. "Fine. I'll beat you to a pulp and then I'm going to bed."

Jenny nodded and turned to head back up the hallway. She stopped at the door to Bulma's lab. "Piccolo! Gravity Room! NOW."

"Me?" he asked, walking to the doorway. "But what about Veg-"

"I'm taking on both of you," she snarled. "I am _that _pissed off." She looked over at Bulma. "You waterproofed that son of a bitch, right?"

Bulma nodded.

Jenny looked to Piccolo again. "Gravity Room. NOW."

Piccolo sighed and fell into step behind her with Vegeta, shaking his head. He was never going to get any sleep and she really was trying to kill him.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry it's kind of a shorter chapter and that it took a couple days for me to update. Been busy with family stuff. Please review! Thanks guys!


	9. Language

"Good job!" Tien grinned as Sabriena absorbed the energy back into her palms. "You're doing a lot better at bringing out your energy."

A small smile pulled at her lips. "Thanks." They'd been at it for a good chunk of the morning, sitting in front of the fireplace, as was the usual, starting off with meditation and calming her mind before focusing on bringing her energy out at will. "So, you gonna teach me to fly now?"

Tien gave a soft snort of laughter. "Not yet. You've got a long way to go before that."

"But _whyyyy_?" she whined. "We've been at this for two weeks!"

Tien nodded. "I know. That's why I'm impressed you've gotten this far so quickly. But you need to build up some strength before you can fly. Even if you managed to get off the ground right now, you wouldn't stay in the air very long. You need to build muscle and increase your stamina." He shoved himself to his feet and headed for the door. "And I know just the thing to get you started."

Sabriena huffed and rolled her eyes as she got to her feet.

"Quit rolling your eyes at me," Tien scolded from outside the cabin.

She gritted her teeth. 'How does he do that?' She brushed her hands together, knocking the little bit of dirt off from the hard wood floor, and headed outside into the late morning light.

Tien was standing near the tree stump, a huge pile of logs next to it and the axe in his hands.

Sabriena raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna make me watch you chop wood?"

"No," he answered, holding the axe out to her. "I'm going to watch you chop wood."

"What?!" she shrieked. "Oh hell no."

"Language," he warned. "I'll make you start doing push-ups every time you curse if you don't watch it."

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Here's a pair of gloves," he said, pulling out a large pair of old, leather work gloves from his pocket and handing them to her.

She wrinkled her nose as she pulled them on. "They're too big for me."

"Well, it's all I've got," he answered, handing her the axe. "And you don't want blisters. So wear them." He walked past her and went back inside the house.

Sabriena's eyes were watering, she was so pissed. "What does this have to do with training?!"

"It'll build your muscles," he answered from inside. "And it needs to be done. It wouldn't hurt you to pitch in around here a bit. You spend most of your time here anyway!"

Sabriena set her jaw, but picked up one of the logs and stood it on end on the stump. "Son of a bitch," she growled under her breath.

"I heard that!"

Stuck her tongue out at the cabin and raised her middle finger. "Hear _that_?" she whispered before she turned to the stump again.

She grabbed the axe by the end of the handle and aimed the head of it uneasily at the log. She raised it even with her shoulders and brought it back down, but the axe glanced off and the log toppled off the stump. She shoulders slumped and she sighed, blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes. She picked the log back up and set it on the stump again, aiming for it once more. This time she pulled the axe harder through the air, her hands grasping the end of the handle like before, and she hit the log. It split unevenly and the impact zinged up her arms, making her jump and drop the axe. "DAMN IT!"

"All right," Tien sighed, coming back out of the house. "I warned you. Twenty push ups. Now."

"I just hurt my arms!" she shot back. "And now you want me to do push ups?"

"We're gonna make you stronger somehow," he answered dryly. "With your mouth, it shouldn't take any time at all."

She seethed at him, but the look on his face told her he was serious and she dropped to the dirt. "If I didn't want to learn how to fight so bad…"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, grabbing an empty bucket and heading off across the yard.

"Where are you going?" she called after him, lowering herself to the ground again, her shoulders burning.

"Fishing."

She gasped and sat up on her knees. "That's not fair!"

"Do you want to eat or not?" he called back, turning to look at her as he walked and throwing his arms wide, walking backwards across the rough yard.

She growled at him and got up, grabbing the axe once more by the end of the handle.

"Oh for crying out…" Tien sighed and dropped his bucket and fishing pole to the ground. "Stop. Stop, stop, stop."

"What?" she demanded, letting the axe head drop to the ground.

"You're holding it wrong, no wonder you hurt your arms," he said. He took the axe from her. "You gotta hold it like this." He had one hand near the end of the handle and his right hand about two-thirds of the way up the handle. "You can control it a lot easier and put a lot more force into it. When you bring it down, let your right hand slide on it a bit. You'll get the hang of it."

She took the axe again and held it the way he showed, then lifted it a bit above the log and was preparing to strike again when he stopped her once more.

"Oh my god, Sabriena," he muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. "You have to pull back farther than that. C'mere." He stood behind her, his tall frame leaning slightly over her, and closed his hands over hers on the axe. "Bring it back like this," he instructed, slowly pulling the axe head far back over her shoulder. "Then swing it over." He guided her arms with his hands still closed over hers to bring the axe down on the log, splitting it cleanly in two. He stepped back and put his hands on his hips. "You think you can handle that?"

She harshly blew a piece of hair out of her eyes again. "Yeah."

"Good." They stared at each other for a minute before he finally said, "Well? Get to it."

She drew a long breath through her nose, her chest rising and turned to set a new log on the stump. Tien gave a nod and headed off across the yard again, grabbing his bucket and fishing pole as he went. This was exactly what he needed after two weeks of working with her nonstop. It was good for her anyway. He walked the hardened dirt path through the tall, dead grass all the way down to the rocky river bank. There, he turned the bucket over and sat on it, casting his line out into the water, aiming for the far side of the river where the water was still and deep. He could still faintly hear Sabriena's loud complaining above the gentle sounds of the small waterfall and he could hear the axe pinging through wood.

She was so different from anyone he'd ever met. She was loud and whiney, yet cocky at the same time. And spoiled. Tien used to think Bulma was spoiled, but now… He shook his head. He had never really understood the need for material things unless they were necessary for survival. He'd never owned a phone or a television, had never cared for cars and had rarely ever even touched a computer. Yet she always had that smartphone in her pocket, even when she couldn't get a signal, and checked it constantly. He was sick of that darn thing and had started making her turn it off except for when they took a break, to which she protested quite a bit until he threatened to throw it in the river.

Speaking of which… it had gone rather quiet. "I don't hear that axe!" he called loudly over his shoulder and turned to look up at the cabin. She was hastily stuffing something into her pocket and pulled the leather gloves on again. "And put that cell phone away!"

"Wha… how did you…" she stammered loudly.

"I can see better than most can," he answered loudly, turning his attention back to the river.

Her muttered word carried back across the yard, "Bastard."

"I can hear better than most, too!" he hollered. "You owe me more pushups." He had to snicker to himself as he heard her drop the axe and her hands hit the ground, grumbling to herself about her burning shoulders, her already sore hands, the cold, anything and everything she could think of to complain about.

He shook his head, slowly reeling in his line. She was bold, he had to give her that. And she was dedicated. She hadn't missed a day of training yet, not since they'd made that rule, showing up on time every day. She complained about it, of course, but she did it anyway. He could deal with that. As long as she was still working, he could tolerate the noise. It was the times when she deliberately ignored him that bothered him so much. Like the cell phone. He really hated that thing.

He could hear the pinging thwack of the axe followed by dull clunks of split logs hitting the ground. And her grumbling. But he couldn't make out the words anymore, she'd lowered her voice so much and was speaking through clenched teeth.

"City girls," he muttered to himself as he gave his line a yank. The trout was hooked and he carefully reeled it in. It splashed up onto the bank and he pulled it up closer on the rocks, getting off of his bucket. He filled the bucket with water from the river, then unhooked the fish and placed it carefully inside.

He stood on the riverbank then, casting his line over and over into the frigid water. The sky overhead was turning a smoky gray and the temperature was dropping. That cold front was coming on faster than he'd expected and he frowned at the sky. He'd hoped to get more firewood ready before it hit.

He narrowed his eyes, listening carefully, then turned and hollered over his shoulder. "I DON'T HEAR THAT AXE!"

"You'll hear it when I whack you in the head with it!" she shot back.

Tien had to laugh at that one. Her sharp wit was one of her redeeming qualities. Now if he could just get her to be that sharp without the curse words. A slip here or there he didn't mind, but when every sentence seemed to have a curse word in it, well, that was a bit much. He had to admit she was creative with them though. He'd certainly never heard the word "dumbfuckery" before. There was another run on his line and he expertly reeled it in, adding the new fish to the bucket. He'd skipped breakfast and she had eaten before she came out to his house and Tien was getting hungry. The supplies he kept in the root cellar were pitifully low. But it was always this way right before spring started. Within a few weeks, the weather would be warm again and the Earth would come to life once more, bringing with it fresh wild berries, herbs, wildlife, and a plentiful garden. But until then, he needed something to hold him over and fish just wasn't going to cut it.

"OUCH! SHIT! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Sabriena cried.

Tien dropped his fishing pole and ran to her as she hopped on one foot, the other clenched in her hand. "You okay?"

"Do I look like I'm okay?" she cried.

"What happened?"

She gestured to the stump. "Damn log fell off and hit my toe." She hissed up at the sky, still gripping her injured foot.

"Walk it off," he told her calmly. "You'll be okay."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but started to limp the circle around the fire pit. "Stupid son of a-"

"Language," he interrupted her in that warning tone again.

"BISCUIT EATER!" she finished loudly.

Tien laughed again, shaking his head as he headed back towards the riverbank.

"Oh, yeah, it's funny to you!" she called after him, limping in that same slow circle. "You chicken lollipop!"

He shot her a questioning look and she snipped, "You'll figure it out."

* * *

It was late afternoon before Tien decided he had enough fish for a decent meal and he walked back up to the cabin with his catch. Sabriena was still chopping wood, looking exhausted and beyond pissed off. Her breath misted heavily on the cold air as she swung the axe again and again.

"Your turn," she said finally, standing up straight and slicking her hair out of her face with her wrist.

"Oh really?" Tien asked flatly. He frowned in a "hmm" sort of way and nodded. "Okay," he agreed, "I'll chop the wood and you clean the fish."

She sneered, "ew," and went back to chopping. Tien smirked and grabbed a couple knives from inside the cabin and set to work.

"Actually, I think you're good on chopping," he said after a minute as he looked down at his hands, expertly butchering the fish. "You can just stack it all up over there next to the stairs."

She slammed the head of the axe into the tree stump and heaved a sigh. "Thank fu- I mean, thank god."

Tien nodded, the tiniest of smiles pulling at his lips as Sabriena began to pile the wood up next to the steps. She sniffled and wiped at her nose with the cuff of her coat. "It's getting cold."

"Yeah, there's a cold front moving in tonight," Tien answered, rinsing his hands in the now empty fish bucket. The water made his hands sting in the freezing air. "It's only gonna get worse."

She stood up straight and turned towards him. "Are you gonna be okay out here tonight with it being that cold? I'm sure Bulma would let you stay in a guest room."

He smiled. "I'll be fine. I've lived out here most my life; a little cold isn't anything I can't handle."

Sabriena pulled her coat closer around her. "I'd be miserable."

"As long as you can build a fire, you're okay," he said.

"Well then I'm screwed," she laughed.

"C'mere," he said, grabbing some of the pieces of wood she'd split. "I'll teach ya." He knelt next to the fire pit and placed the thinner pieces of wood in the center, building them up in a square. He kept one piece out and set it on end next to the fire. "Hey, go inside and grab the bowdrill, would ya?"

"The what?"

"It looks like a small, loose-strung archery bow and beside it there's a rounded stick with a notch in it," he answered. "It's next to the fireplace. And there should be a curved stone sitting next to it. Grab that, too."

Sabriena went inside and Tien pulled his knife from his boot, hacking thin strips of wood from the piece of kindling.

"This it?" she asked when she returned, holding out the thin, curved piece of wood and other tools.

"Yup," he answered. He set the semi-hollowed out piece of kindling flat on the ground and took the tools from her. "Get down here," he said.

She knelt next to him and watched as he grabbed the straight stick and looped the string of the bow around it. He held the curved bowdrill in his right hand and placed the end of the straight piece on the kindling. He picked up the hollowed out stone and placed it on top of the straight piece.

"Press down with this," he said indicating the stone. "And then you just kind of saw back and forth with the bow, like this." Like drawing a bow across a cello, Tien moved his arm back and forth quickly, keeping the string taut around the spindle, which spun quickly against the kindling. After a moment, smoke began to rise from the piece of wood on the ground.

Sabriena blinked in surprise. "Ha! It's working!"

"Friction causes heat," he answered. "Now if we can just get a coal, we'll be in good shape." He carefully lifted the bow and spindle away, revealing a small glowing ember in the wood. He grabbed some of the thin wood shavings he'd carved off the wood and cautiously placed them over the ember, blowing lightly on it.

Sabriena watched in fascination as he worked. She'd seen that sort of thing in movies, but she didn't think it actually worked. Within moments, a small flame sprung up, lapping at the tinder. Tien picked up the whole piece of kindling and laid it in the middle of the fire pit, in the center of the square of wood he'd built up.

"Grab me a handful of those sticks over there by the woodpile," he instructed, not removing his eyes from the small fire that was growing. Sabriena obeyed and handed them to him. He snapped them in his hands, carefully adding more to the fire until he had a decent blaze going. He sat back on his heels and grinned at her. "See? It's not that complicated."

Sabriena stood up straight, her eyes wide as she stared at the fire. "Okay, seriously?" she said, pointing at it. "I'm impressed. That was awesome."

He smiled bigger. "No big deal," he said, getting to his feet and retrieving a large frying pan from the side of the fire pit. He grabbed the fresh pieces of fish he'd butchered and slapped them in the pan, then set it over the fire. He sat back down and looked up at her. "Well sit down," he chuckled. "No sense in freezing to death."

She sat next to him, pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders and held her hands out to the fire. "I put your gloves on the table," she said.

"Thanks."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "By the way," she said, looking back at the fire and trying to act nonchalant. "What's your name again?"

He snorted with a laugh. "You've been coming out here for two weeks and you don't even know my name?"

"I've heard it before," she answered, "but I just can't remember it. Is it Yamcha?"

Tien let out a bark of laughter. "Oh god, no. Please, call me anyone but Yamcha."

She fixed him with an impatient stare. "Well then, either tell me your name or I'll just keep calling you 'jackass'."

It was his turn to be impatient. "Language," he sighed. "Twenty pushups."

She gaped at him. "I'm half frozen and I can barely move my arms from chopping all that wood! I can't do twenty pushups right now!"

"Well, then, maybe you shouldn't call me jackass."

"HA!" she cried, pointing at him. "You said it too! Now you have to do pushups!"

Tien sighed again and resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but shifted around to a pushup position. "You too."

She grumbled, but moved her aching body to hold herself parallel to the ground. "So, you gonna tell me your name or not?" she asked, raising and lowering her shoulders to the ground as he mimicked her.

"Tien," he answered, looking over at her as he lowered his chest closer to the dirt.

"You got a last name?"

"Shinhan."

"Tien Shinhan," she repeated to herself. "I'll try to remember that."

He pushed himself to sit on his knees again. "Seeing as how I'm the only one who was crazy enough to take you on as a student, that's probably a good idea. You know, at least know your teacher's name."

She pushed herself back on her knees as well, scooting closer to the fire. "Should I call you Mr. Shinhan, then, _teacher_?"

He wrinkled his nose slightly. "Tien is fine."

He grabbed the handle of the pan and flipped the fillets of fish over. "You hungry?"

"Starving," she admitted.

"Here," he said, standing up. "You watch the fish. I'm gonna grab something to throw on it so it doesn't taste so bland."

She nodded and grabbed the handle of the pan, gently shimmying it across the fire. He returned a few moments later, a mason jar clasped in his hand and he threw a measure of dried herbs into the pan with the fish and took the handle from Sabriena to toss the fish again.

She sat back a bit, grinning. "I love a man who can cook."

He snickered. "I dunno how good I am, but it's edible at least."

"Guess you don't have much choice out here all by yourself, huh?"

"I don't mind," he shrugged. "I like it out here. It's peaceful. No one bothers me."

"Anyone ever come to see you?" she asked.

"You," he answered.

"Besides me," she huffed impatiently.

"Yamcha comes out a lot," Tien answered "And Goku, when he thinks about it."

"So how long have you lived out here?" Sabriena asked.

"Oh, I dunno," he answered thoughtfully as he handed her a plate of herb-crusted fish, which she grabbed and hungrily bit into. "About twenty-four, twenty-five years?"

Sabriena choked on her fish.

"You okay?" he blinked at her.

She nodded, coughing and banging a fist against her chest bone. She finally swallowed and stared at him, her eyes streaming. "How old are you?!"

"Forty-three," he answered, taking another bite of fish. He looked at her wide-eyed expression. "What?"

"You do _not_ look that old," she answered, her face full of shock. "Seriously, I wouldn't guess you a day over thirty, if that."

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I'll be twenty in May," she said.

It was his turn to get choked up. "I didn't know you were that young." He ran a hand over his face. "I'm old enough to be your dad."

She laughed. "Nah, my dad's, like, fifty-two. You're good."

"That's only nine years!"

She shrugged. "Nine years is a big gap. Besides, like I said, you look _waaaaay_ younger than that."

"Well, that's something, I suppose," he muttered. He suddenly felt very old. "Ah, I guess I should've known that. You're Gohan's age, aren't you?"

"He's, like, six months older than me, I think," she answered, digging into her late afternoon lunch again. "Lindsey's five months older than me. Jenny will be twenty in April. I'm the youngest."

"Me, Yamcha, and Bulma are the same age," Tien said. "I think Vegeta's a year older. And Goku's five years younger."

They both sat in silence for a while, eating their fish and thinking over their conversation. Sabriena looked down at her plate after a few minutes, still chewing. "This is really good."

He gave a small smile. "Glad you like it."

"I'll have to cook for you sometime," she said, staring at the fire. "I like to cook."

"Really?" Tien asked in surprise. "You don't strike me as someone who would enjoy that."

She nodded. "Yeah, I do. I even took a couple culinary classes at the college when I was back in the states."

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, actually," she answered. "I always liked cooking anyway, so learning new techniques and applications really expanded my views. I'm a bit more adventurous when it comes to food now." She stopped and smirked, "I mean, c'mon, I ate your cooking."

Tien chuckled. "That's not adventurous. That's suicidal."

She threw her head back and laughed, pressing her fingers to her mouth to hide the food she'd bitten into. "Oh, Tien," she laughed. "It's not bad. Really. I like it."

A slight blush spread across his nose and cheeks. "You think it's okay?"

She nodded, looking back down at her plate. "It's _really _good."

"Well if the culinary student approves, then I guess I'm not doing half bad," he grinned.

Small flakes of snow began to fall as they finished their meal. Sabriena set her plate on the ground and stretched her arms way above her head, her coat and shirt lifting slightly. "Oh, man, I'm full."

Tien narrowed his eyes at her midriff. "What's that?"

She lowered her arms. "Hmm?"

"There was silver on your stomach. What is that?" he asked leaning closer.

She lifted her shirt against the cold winter air. "Navel piercing."

"And you have that because…?" he trailed off.

"Because it's cute," she answered.

"Okay," he said slowly, sitting up straight again and setting his plate on top of hers. "You might wanna take that out when we start sparring. You don't want it to catch on something and get ripped out."

She sighed. "Oh, all right. Just because I'm too full right now to argue with you, _Tien_."

"At least you know who you're arguing with now," he retorted.

She giggled, a pretty, bubbly sound. "I'm sorry about that."

"Ah, don't worry about it," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "What's your last name?"

"Schuler," she answered.

"Well, Miss Schuler," he said, standing and picking up the plates. "You'd better head out. It looks like we're about to get quite the winter storm."

"Miss Schuler," she snorted. "Fine, then, Mister Shinhan."

Tien shuddered. "Tien and Sabriena?"

She nodded. "Tien and Sabriena."

He gave a small smile again.

"So we're really done for the day?" she asked, following him into the cabin.

"Yeah, I gotta get to bed here soon."

She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. "It's only four o'clock."

"And I have to get up extra early," he answered, setting the plates on the table. "By the way, you can take tomorrow off."

"What?" she cried. "Why? Did I do something wrong?!"

He blinked in surprise. "No," he chuckled. "I'm going hunting. It's going to be extra cold, the deer will be moving. Plus with the fresh snow, they'll be easy to track. It's perfect."

"I can get my rifle," Sabriena offered.

Tien wrinkled his nose. "I'm not a big fan of firearms."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh that's just plain-jane un-American."

"Well good thing I'm Japanese then, huh?"

She shook her head. "A man who doesn't like guns. I never." She looked up at him again. "So what are you hunting with? A bow?"

He nodded. "Yup. Got my longbow over there. That's all I need."

"What time you headin' out in the morning?" she asked.

"Oh, about four, probably. So I'll have to get up earlier than that," he answered. He fixed her with his dark eyes. "You've been working hard. Take the day off. It's going to be way too cold out for you tomorrow anyway."

"I'm not that fragile, you know," she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Tien drew a long breath through his nose, glancing swiftly at the ceiling, trying to keep his patience again. "I didn't say you were fragile. I'm just saying it's going to be biting cold and the flying conditions in a car may not be the best either. Speaking of which, you should really get going. I don't want you to get caught in the storm."

"All right," she said, grabbing her purse off the table and heading for the door. "See you in a couple days."

"See ya," he replied, grabbing the kettle from the fireplace and pouring the hot water into the waiting tub on the table to wash his dishes.

"Oh, and Tien?"

He looked up at her. "Hmm?"

She gave a genuine smile. "Dinner was really good." And before he could say another word, she whipped out of the cabin, her long blonde hair flying behind her, and slammed the door.


	10. The Hunting Trip

It was still dark when Tien got out of bed that next morning. He dressed in heavy, navy-blue pants and a long-sleeved gray shirt and pulled his tunic over that. He fried up the last of the deer sausage he had and ate that for breakfast, drinking his black coffee, quietly envisioning his hunt for the day. The house suddenly seemed very empty and quiet, the only sound was the popping and crackling of the fire and the occasional scrape of his fork against the tin plate. He finished his breakfast and put the plate in the small washtub for later. He glanced out the window above his bed. A thick blanket of snow had fallen over the past few hours. The snow was still falling gently, but there was no wind and it fell straight down.

He grabbed his bow from its place near the wardrobe and held it between his knees to string it. He smiled at the smooth feel of the wood in his hands. There were few objects in the world that Tien was attached to, but that bow was one of them. Made of the wood from a Yew tree by his own hands, it had served him well for many years. He picked up his quiver of arrows and tied it to his belt, the dark leather heavy against his leg. He had just grabbed his black cloak and slung it over his shoulders when there was a soft knock at the door.

"What on earth?" Tien softly asked himself and went to the door.

It was Sabriena, wearing her peacoat and jeans, a fluffy pink band pulled over her ears against the cold and her dark blonde hair pulled back in a long braid.

Tien blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here? I told you we aren't training today."

"I know," she said, stepping into the house without invitation and ducking under his arm that held the door open. "I wanna go with you."

He shut the door and turned. It was only then that he noticed the highly polished white compound bow in her hands. It was strung with a hot pink cable and she had a commercially made black leather quiver slung across her back, revealing hot pink carbon arrows.

He stared at her in exasperation. "Where in the world did you get those?"

"What, this?" she asked, holding out the shocking white bow. "I've had this for a while."

He crossed the room to the table and picked up his hunting knife, running the blade along a sharpening stone. "You expect me to believe you're a hunter?"

"I never said that," she muttered. "But I am a good shot. Guns aren't the only weapon I'm trained in, you know."

"Hmm," he answered, keeping his back to her as he focused on the blade in his hands.

"Is it wrong that I wanted to go with you today?" she demanded.

"I don't know if you can handle it," he said simply. "It's awfully cold out there. And shooting an animal is completely different than shooting a stationary target."

She narrowed her eyes at his back. "I think I can handle it."

He turned to her and slid the knife into his belt, considering her for a moment. "All right, then. Let's see what you're made of."

They set off around the back of the cabin, heading up the slight incline into the trees. Tien glanced at her as she walked beside him. "You should've worn a better coat."

She sneered, "There's nothing wrong with this coat. It was expensive!"

"That doesn't mean it's a good coat," he countered. "You're going to freeze to death out here."

"Oh what do you care?" she snapped. "At least if I'm dead, I'm outta your hair." She paused and corrected herself. "Well, you know what I mean."

He shook his head and gave a soft snort of laughter. "Do you have to be so funny when you're being mean? I don't know whether to be mad or amused."

"You think I'm funny?" she asked in surprise, carefully picking her way through the low, dead brush.

"Sometimes," he answered truthfully.

"Hmm," she frowned and muttered quietly, "most people think I'm obnoxious."

"What was that?" he asked softly. "I didn't hear you."

She shook her head. "Nothing."

They continued on their way, Sabriena still making conversation as they went. "You know, you could just go to a supermarket and get your groceries like a normal person."

He shook his head. "I'm not eating that crap. Do you have any idea the things they put in all that commercially processed junk?"

"Oh, it can't be that bad," she scoffed.

"There's fire retardant in that soda you drink," he warned. "Not to mention the hormones and antibiotics they pump into those animals. GMO's. Steroids. No thank you."

"So, like, my insides are fireproof now?"

He squeezed his eyes shut painfully and shook his head. "You'd progress with your training a lot faster if you ate healthier." He shook his head again and muttered, "Thought I was gonna die after you brought me that fast food. I don't know how you eat that stuff."

"Because it's full of delicious awesomeness," she answered emphatically.

Tien sighed as they neared a barbed wire fence and he leapt lightly over it. Sabriena blinked at his agility. She didn't expect a man of his size to move so gracefully. He grabbed the middle wire and pulled up while stepping on the bottom wire. "C'mon, girl."

She bent double and stepped through. "Whose land is this?"

"Mine," he answered, releasing the wire. "This fence has been here for ages."

They continued on over an open field, the snow still falling and a slight breeze picking up.

"I still say you should keep livestock," she said. "You could have a lot more food right at your fingertips."

Tien's nose twitched slightly. "It's a lot more work, too," he reminded her.

"You could at least keep chickens," she said. "We could have omelets for breakfast."

"You gonna take care of them for me?" he teased.

"Do I get fresh eggs?" she countered. "Oooo! And I can make fresh pasta. And pastries. See? You could get more variety in your diet. You might like it."

"Ah, we'll see when the weather gets better," he said hesitantly. They were nearing the tree line on the opposite side of the field.

"God, my feet are cold," she whined. "How much farther do we have to walk?"

"We're nearly there," he answered softly. "Hush now."

She pressed her lips together, tempted to speak even louder than normal just to irritate him, but decided against it. They were a long way out in the middle of nowhere and he was a big guy and he was armed, not that he needed it, though. Best to just do what he said, she decided.

It was a long walk to this side the forest. Tien normally would have flown there, but since Sabriena couldn't fly yet, they took it on foot, losing him more time than he cared to admit. The sun had broken over the horizon already and he normally liked to be in his spot before the sun came up. He finally stopped at the base of a huge tree and crouched down, leaning back against it, his bow held loosely in both hands, his arms propped on his knees.

"Now what?" Sabriena asked softly, standing next to him.

"Now we wait," he answered in a tone even quieter than hers.

She huffed and sat down beside him, crossing her legs in the snow. She dropped her bow in her lap and leaned back against the tree.

"You're going to freeze," he warned her quietly, eyeing the way she sat in the snow. "Get up on your feet."

"I can't sit like you," she said, standing up and brushing the snow off her jeans. She grabbed up her bow and pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back. "My legs would fall off."

"Shh," he hushed her.

She pressed her lips together in a firm line as she knocked her arrow on the string. 'Shoot 'im in the ass,' she thought to herself and suppressed the urge to giggle. She leaned her shoulder against the tree and stared down at Tien's back. Even in his crouched position, she was only a few inches taller than him. His ears had gone red from the cold. She flexed her own cold fingers, trying to knock some of the bite out of them. She had the sudden vision of leaning over him, breathing hotly against his cold ear to warm him and had to suppress the urge to laugh again. Oh, he would freak out if she teased him like that. Tien was most definitely not a flirt. She wiggled her lips around, trying to hide the smile that pulled at her mouth. It would be funny to see his reaction. But once again, the thought of pissing him off crossed her mind and she decided it wasn't worth it. Any of her other friends she could tease like that, especially Gohan since he was so easy to embarrass, but she couldn't even call herself friends with Tien yet, not really. He was her teacher and nothing more. And she was perfectly fine with that.

Tien crooked his finger at her over his shoulder and she followed his gaze, looking for what he was staring at. She saw it then, the large doe nosing at the roots of a tree. She looked back at Tien, and he cocked a skeptical eyebrow at her and smirked.

She took it as a challenge. Her arrow already knocked, she silently drew on the animal, holding back, calming her breathing. She was waiting… waiting for it to shift, to give her the best target… Her arms screamed in torment as she held her draw. She was still aching and sore from chopping wood the previous day. The doe turned her body broadside and, exhaling slowly, Sabriena loosed her arrow.

There was a dull _thunk _as the arrow hit its mark and the doe bolted. Sabriena lowered her bow and grinned haughtily. She glanced down at Tien who looked dumbfounded.

"You didn't think I'd hit it," she stated.

Tien squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and reopened them, blinking several times in the soft morning light. He was speechless as he got to his feet. "I'm… actually impressed," he admitted.

She grinned bigger, looking extremely proud of herself. She looked at the bow in his hand, which also held an arrow. He'd been prepared to take the shot himself when she missed.

"Let's go find it," he said, setting off through the sparse trees and she fell into step behind him.

"Can I talk again now?" she asked.

His eyes fluttered closed for a second. "Sure."

"It's too damn quiet out here," she muttered, then gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth.

Tien smirked over his shoulder. "Language."

She snarled at him as he turned to face her and she shoved her bow against his chest for him to hold it. Her shoulders screamed in protest as she quickly did the twenty pushups, her hands burning in the freezing snow. She shoved herself to her feet again and snatched her bow back. "I hatechu."

"Not real fond of you either," he teased back.

"So where'd you get that?" she asked, bumping the back of her hand against his bow.

"I made it," he answered.

"Oh really?" she asked, looking at it. "Wow. That's pretty cool. What's it made of?"

"Yew," he answered.

"Traditional," she mumbled. "Nice. What's the draw weight?"

"About a hundred and eighty pounds," he answered, finding the spot where the deer had stood when Sabriena shot it.

Her eyes looked like they could pop out of her skull. "Are you kidding me?! That's ridiculous!"

"What do you mean?" he laughed, following the trail the deer had left behind. Bright red drops of blood spattered the pristine snow. "I know I could pull more than that easily, but there's only so much the wood can take."

"More? The hel… _heck… _are you hunting? Jesus!" she cried.

"What's the weight on yours?" he countered.

"Fifty," she answered.

"You could pull more than that," he said, frowning and looking ahead at the trail.

"Not if you keep making me chop wood," she grumbled.

"Actually, that would probably help," Tien said. "The more you use those muscles, the stronger and faster they're going to become."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered.

"So I've got a question for you," Tien said, his eyes still on the ground, keeping track of the path the deer had run. "How does a city kid like you end up being so fascinated with weapons?"

"Nnnnn," she hesitated. "Well, my dad's always had guns. And he used to do archery. So, I guess it sort'a rubbed off." It was partly true. Her dad did love weaponry and was an avid collector. But she hadn't picked up on the actual usage of weapons until her time at the warehouse where Yorgi insisted that everyone be at least proficient with one type of firearm. At seventeen years old, she found a passion the first time she squeezed that trigger. It made her feel powerful and in control of something for a change, which was a feeling she hadn't had in a very long time. It was only her skill, her persistence, her patience, and her will that could control how accurate she could be. And when she felt that she'd mastered one, she moved on to the next and the next, eventually delving into archery as another challenge. It was a totally new experience and she found her passion renewed. The other women in Anarchy 99 were decent with a firearm, only one other used a bow, but Sabriena was by far the best female shooter all around. She'd never intended to go hunting, although she'd toyed with the idea before, and preferred target shooting. But that explanation would have to include _why _Yorgi insisted that they all knew their way around a gun, and that was something Sabriena didn't particularly feel like sharing with Tien.

Tien suddenly hurried his pace and she had to nearly run to keep up with his long stride. The deer had circled around and was lying on its side in the field they had crossed earlier. Tien approached it cautiously, studying it to see if it was still moving or not. He dropped to his knees by its head and pulled the knife from his belt to poke it right in its opened, lifeless eye.

"Ewww! Tien!" Sabriena scolded.

"I had to make sure it's dead," he answered gruffly. He looked over his shoulder at her. "You gonna dress it?"

Her eyes went wide. "I don't know how to do that!"

He chuckled at her. "I know. Now c'mere. I'll teach you."

* * *

The sun was high over head by the time they reached the edge of the trees at the other side of the field. Sabriena could barely feel her feet, they were so numb with cold.

"I'll show you how to butcher it, too," Tien offered.

"I already know how to do that," she bragged, reveling in the surprised look on his face again.

"And just how do you know how to do that?"

"Well, it's kind'a a weird story," she said, screwing up her face, wrinkling her nose and squeezing one eye shut.

"I'm listening," Tien said as he continued to drag their quarry through the trees, the deer sliding easily over the fresh snow, his bow slung over his back.

"Okay, so me and Jenny went to Fear Fest one night," she started.

"What's that?"

"A haunted house that they put on every fall. You know, like people dressed up in costumes to scare you?"

He frowned. "Why would you want to be scared on purpose?"

"Cause it's fun. Anyway, that's not the point. So, me and Jenny went with Blake and Bryson – Lindsey's brothers – to Fear Fest one night. And on our way home, we hit this huge buck on the highway."

"Were you guys okay?"

She shrugged. "We weren't hurt, but it scared the crap outta us. So there we are, on the side of the road with this dead deer and our car totally smashed. And we knew we had to call the sheriff's department, but we were freaking out because we didn't want Bryson to get in trouble."

"Why was that an issue?" Tien asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He had a warrant out for his arrest," Sabriena answered truthfully. "He's a bit of a trouble maker. Nothing major, just didn't go to court for traffic tickets."

"Okay."

"So we called Lindsey's other brother, Patrick. Patrick runs over in his girlfriend's car to pick Bryson up. We call the sheriff's department, they come out, help us clean up the glass and the car parts and whatnot, then leave. So we climb back in this jacked up car, driving, like, forty miles an hour in a seventy zone. I mean, grandmas on scooters are passing us at this point." She stopped to suppress her laughter.

Tien was chuckling, looking at her as they continued to walk. "That's embarrassing."

"Right?" she gasped. "So we're put-puttin' along, and we see Patrick and Bryson going back the other way." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "And so Blake calls them, like, 'what the crap are you doing?!' And Patrick says that's fresh deer meat and he's not leaving it behind." She fixed her green eyes on Tien's for emphasis. "They were going to get the deer. They were picking up roadkill, Tien!"

He laughed loudly at that. "Man, and I thought I was bad about not wasting anything."

Sabriena was still laughing. "So we get back to Lindsey's house and the guys, those jerks beat us there actually since we couldn't drive very fast in that jacked up car, and they've got it strung up in the garage with a meat grinder and all sorts of processing tools laid out. And I tried to get away, but they made me stay. They made me help chop it up."

"And you actually did it?" he asked in surprise, amusement still in his voice.

She nodded and shivered against the cold. "They bribed me."

"With what?!"

She pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead, her eyes narrowed. "Deer jerky."

"From the road kill deer," Tien deadpanned.

Sabriena's eyes went wide and she froze in her tracks as if the light bulb above her head had just gone off. "I ate road kill," she whispered in a terrified voice.

Tien had to stop walking, he was laughing so hard. He leaned over, his hands pressed to his knees, gasping for air.

"That's not funny, Tien!" she screeched. "It just clicked! I ate fucking road kill!"

"L-Language!" he laughed.

"Oh my god," she growled and dropped to the ground again, the snow burning her hands even worse.

By the time she got back to her feet, Tien had finally managed to stop laughing, but his face was still covered in amusement. He grabbed the deer again and forged ahead, fighting the smile on his lips.

"What?" she grumbled.

"The city girl at road kill," he laughed, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand. He just couldn't believe it. Of course the meat was fine, it wasn't any different than if the deer had been shot like the one they had just harvested, but it was the connotation of "road kill" that made it just so damn funny.

"I actually enjoyed eating that thing," Sabriena admitted. "It ruined our night." She looked up at him again. "You like jerky?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I love it."

She raised her eyebrows tantalizingly. "Send some of that deer home with me and I'll bring you some jerky in a couple days. I have a secret recipe."

"Secret recipe, huh?" he asked. "All right, I'll bite. I'll send a couple pounds home with you tonight."

"But you gotta share with me," she said. "And I'll have to sneak it out of Capsule Corp. If Jenny finds it, it's _gone_." She stumbled and grabbed onto a tree for support.

"You okay?" he asked concernedly.

"My feet are frozen," she whined. "I can hardly feel them."

"We're nearly home," he said. "We'll get you inside and warm you up."

She shoved away from the tree and they hurried their steps through the woods. Just when Sabriena thought she couldn't go anymore, the trees gave way to the big rough yard, revealing the barren garden patch and the back of the cabin. "Oh sweet Jesus," she panted in relief and lengthened her stride even more. She marched up the steps and threw open the door and collapsed to a cross-legged position on the floor in front of the tiny fire. She shivered violently, pulling her peacoat tighter around her, leaning towards the fire.

Tien followed shortly, the deer abandoned outside, and he was carrying an armful of kindling. He frowned at her on the floor, her shoulders shaking. "I knew you were going to get too cold."

She shrugged, her teeth chattering. "Can't feel my toes."

"You serious?" he asked, setting the firewood on the hearth and looking at her soaked sneakers.

She nodded. The only thing her feet felt was shooting cold pain.

Tien carefully pulled her shoes off and set them near the fire, then hooked her socks with his fingers and peeled them away to look at her feet. "You're lucky you don't have frostbite." Even with as cold as his hands were, her feet felt freezing when he touched them. He rubbed at the sole of her foot, trying to stimulate some circulation.

Sabriena shivered violently again.

Tien stood and pulled his bow off his back, laying it on the table, then turned to the fire to stoke it and add more wood to it. The flames jumped up, bathing both of them in its sudden warmth. He stood once more and stared down at her as she sneezed and stared miserably at the fire. The adrenaline rush from the hunt had worn off and now she was tired and cold.

"Have you eaten yet today?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I wasn't hungry when I got up."

He sighed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Sabriena, you can't do that. You have to eat to have energy."

"Wasn't hungry," she replied flatly.

This was bad. She wasn't fighting back or being snippy like she usually did when he scolded her. That useless coat of hers wasn't helping any, either. He pulled the black bearskin cloak from his shoulders and draped it over her back. She grabbed at it, pulling it tighter around her shoulders.

"You sit there," he told her. "I'll take care of the deer."

She looked up at him, tilting her head far back to see him staring down at her from behind. "But you need your cloak. You'll freeze!"

He shook his head. "No, I'll be fine. You warm up. If you need anything, just holler at me. I'll be right outside."

She nodded and looked back at the fire. "Thanks, Tien," she murmured, snuggling into the warm cloak. He gave her a soft smile and headed outside, closing the heavy door lightly behind him.

The fire felt good, but that cloak felt amazing. It was heavy and warm from Tien's body heat and big enough to wrap around her a couple times if she wanted. The weight of it felt good on her shoulders as she pulled it around her, nuzzling her chin into the soft black fur. It smelled good, too. Like leather and fresh turned earth, campfire smoke, split wood, and a musk that could only be the scent of his skin. Oh good lord, she could get drunk on that smell. She sat there, listening to the crackling of the fire, staring at the bright flames, breathing that scent deeply through her nose. Her toes were peeked out from under the cloak, bathing in the warmth of the fire, stinging as they began to thaw.

Tien returned several minutes later to check on her. "You doing okay?"

She nodded. "Better."

"Here," he said, sitting down beside the fire and reaching for her foot, "let me see."

She set her foot in his lap and he rubbed at it again. "Can you feel it now?" he asked, his strong fingers pressing roughly into the sole of her foot, his thumb squeezing down the top from her ankle to her toes.

She nodded once more, closing her eyes. "It stings, though."

"You have to wear boots when it's this cold out, Sabriena," he said, looking down. "You have to take care of your feet. You're useless without them out here."

"Trust me," she laughed bitterly. "Lesson learned."

He frowned again as he stared down at her foot in his rough hands. "More pink?" he asked, looking at her perfectly painted toes. They were hot pink, just like her arrows, with a black starburst design on the sides.

"It's pretty," she mumbled.

"You like the weirdest stuff," he grumbled, reaching for her other foot, rubbing both of her feet now. "What's the point in that? It doesn't serve a purpose."

"It makes me feel better about myself, okay?" she snapped. "And it looks pretty. Leave me alone." She yanked her feet from his lap and tucked them back under the cloak, staring harshly at the fire.

"Yup, you're feeling better," he stated harshly and got to his feet again. He crossed the cabin to the shelves on the wall and grabbed some supplies and marched back outside, letting the door slam behind him.

She huffed and buried her chin in the cloak again.

It was a long time before he returned, carrying with him a large cast iron Dutch oven that he hooked inside the fireplace.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I thought I'd make us some stew," he answered, any trace of irritation with her from before now gone. "It'll warm you up."

She nodded and lay on her side, curling up in the big cloak, the loose wisps of her hair that had fallen free of her braid trailing across the floor.

Tien sat down on the floor again, cross-legged, and smiled at her. "I'm proud of you today, girl. You did a good job."

A soft smile pulled at her lips as she blinked her tired eyes slowly. "Thanks."

"You go ahead and rest," he said, reaching over to stir the pot with a large wooden spoon. "I'll wake ya up when it's time to eat."

He was wasting his breath. He looked over at her again when she didn't answer. Her rhythmic breathing and relaxed expression told him she was already sound asleep.


	11. The Bet

"Leelee?" Seventeen asked softly as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You wanna get up, babe? It's noon."

Leelee stared blankly over at the wall and shook her head. She was too tired to get out of bed. It made her body ache to even think about getting up. All she wanted was to stay in that soft, warm bed with the curtains drawn. It was cold and dark in her bedroom, just the way she wanted it.

"It's a nice day out," Seventeen said, his voice still soft. "I thought maybe we could go for a walk or something? It's a little cool, but the bad weather's over for sure."

She shook her head again.

He sighed sadly. "Honey, you haven't been outside in weeks. Some fresh air would be good for you."

"Too tired," she muttered, closing her eyes. "Please, Seventeen? Can't I just rest for a minute?"

He pressed his lips together with a slight frown and nodded, slicking Leelee's braids out of her face. "I love you," he whispered and kissed her cheek, pulling the covers up over her shoulder. He got up and walked across the room, pausing in the doorway to stare sadly back at her, then left, closing the door behind him.

Seventeen didn't know what to do. Ever since that night at the restaurant all those weeks ago, Leelee had gotten worse. All she seemed to want to do was sleep. She had no appetite, no interest in anything at all. He was lucky to get her to eat once a day. And even then, she would just sit miserably at their little table, picking at her food, looking tired and sad. He missed her – the fun, confident, intelligent woman she used to be. She didn't see how much she meant to him, how much this was affecting him, too.

Was it him? Was he doing something wrong? Maybe she didn't like his transformation as much as he originally thought. He'd been thinking so much about how she had changed, maybe his own change was affecting her. After all, he didn't look like the skinny teenager he once was. He was much taller now, his face longer, his muscles huge compared to the way he used to be. Maybe she missed him the way he used to be – just like he missed her.

He sighed. There was nothing for it now. Fusing with the other version of himself had been a permanent transformation. And he reminded himself that before Leelee got hurt, she couldn't keep her hands off him.

Like he'd been doing for so long now, Seventeen turned to the only person he could think of. He pulled his phone from his pocket and called his sister.

Eighteen had been amazing for him over the past months. Every time he needed to complain or mope or ask advice – she was there. It didn't matter what time he called, she answered and listened, only offering advice when he asked for it, never telling him he was wrong for the way he felt. She stopped by at least three times during the week, sometimes more, helping him cook dinner when he just couldn't stand another meal of fast food. And she listened to Leelee, too. Before the restaurant incident, Leelee was still up and around the apartment, not happy but not near comatose either. She would sit and talk with Eighteen or snuggle up to her while watching a movie. Eighteen was her own sister, too, as far as Leelee was concerned. Besides Seventeen, Eighteen was the only one who had seen the full extent of Leelee's scars. Even Leelee's friends hadn't seen them. She spent most of the winter avoiding the other girls and wrapped herself up in turtlenecks and scarves when she had to see anyone.

But the weather was getting too warm for that now. That's why the bedroom was kept so icily cold. She was sleeping in those shirts, her chin tucked into the collar, the blankets pulled up over her head.

"Hey," Eighteen answered the phone.

"You busy?" Seventeen asked. He could hear Marron squealing in the background and Krillin arguing with Master Roshi; he could picture them leaned over the table, accusing the other of cheating at cards.

"Nope," she answered, "Same ol', same ol'."

"You couldn't get away for a few hours, could you?" Seventeen asked, fighting to keep his voice steady. He was terribly lonely; what made it worse is the person he most wanted to spend time with was just on the other side of the door.

"I'm walking out the door now," Eighteen answered. He heard her lower the phone and announce that she was leaving to her husband, then she spoke into the phone again. "I'll see you in a few."

Seventeen slid his phone back into his pocket and went to sit on the couch. He was at his wit's end. Nothing he tried seemed to work. He'd even begged Catie and Jenny to come spend time with Leelee, but when either of them showed up, she pretended to sleep the entire time or faked being too sick to be around anyone. He sent them home, apologizing for wasting their time, but thanking them for trying. They always said they didn't mind and to let them know if he needed anything.

Eighteen arrived faster than Seventeen expected, walking in their door without knocking like she always did. He stood and rushed across the room to hug her, so grateful she was there.

Eighteen squeezed her arms around her brother's waist, smiling inside. She still couldn't get over how much taller he was than her now.

"Tell me what to do," he whispered against her ear.

Her heart broke at the pain in his voice. "She still not getting out of bed?"

He broke away from her and shook his head. "I think if she'd just get up and get out of here for a minute, she'd feel better."

"She can't go outside in those clothes now, though," Eighteen said. "Winter's over. She'd melt."

Seventeen cocked an eyebrow. "You could take her to get some new clothes."

A light touched Eighteen's eyes. "You're brilliant," she smiled. "Maybe you _are _related to me after all."

"Now the question is how do we get her out of bed?" Seventeen wondered.

"Leave it to me," Eighteen said, striding across the apartment, throwing open the bedroom door. "LEELEE! Get up!" She flicked on the overhead light as Leelee cringed under her blankets. She stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the mass on the bed, listening to Leelee grumble. Eighteen wasn't having it. She grabbed the blankets and ripped them from the bed, tossing the whole mess across the room.

"Eighteen!" Leelee shrieked, curling up in a ball and pulling the pillow over her head.

"Get up," Eighteen said firmly again, walking around to Leelee's side of the bed and pulling on the pillow.

"I don't want to!" Leelee argued, still clutching the pillow to her head as Eighteen pulled harder.

"Too bad," Eighteen said and gave a final yank, pulling the pillow from Leelee's grasp.

Leelee sat up in bed. "EIGHTEEN! I don't feel good! Please leave me alone."

"You don't feel good because you're sitting around feeling sorry for yourself," Eighteen said bluntly, pulling open the curtains to the room. The whole bedroom was flooded with light and Leelee squinted, raising her hands against the sunlight. "Now get up. We're going shopping."

"Eighteeeeeeeeeen," Leelee whined, falling back on the bed dramatically. "I don't wanna."

"Tough titty said the kitty," Eighteen replied. "We're going. Now get up. We only have nine hours until the mall closes."

Leelee groaned and closed her eyes.

"I will pick you up, strip you and shove you in the shower myself if you do not get out of that bed in three seconds," Eighteen warned.

"But I-"

"ONE."

"Eighteen, don't make me-"

"TWO."

Leelee growled.

"THR-"

"OKAY!" Leelee cried, throwing herself out of bed. "I'm up! I'm up!"

"Now," Eighteen grinned. "Get a shower and get dressed so we can go. And do something with that hair." She slapped Leelee's ass playfully as Leelee walked past. "You're lookin' a little skanky."

Leelee's eyes went wide as she turned to look at Eighteen, but a tiny smile pulled at Leelee's lips and she headed for the bathroom.

* * *

Leelee was hot by the time she and Eighteen got to the mall in West City. She kept pulling at her turtleneck and wiping her face. It was late March and the snow had long-since melted, the grass starting to turn green again and the birds returning. It was beautiful outside, the temperature in the mid-sixties.

"See?" Eighteen said. "You need new clothes."

"I wouldn't if you let me stay in my cave," Leelee mumbled.

Eighteen rolled her eyes. "Come on. This is going to be fun." She wrapped an arm around Leelee's shoulders and drug her inside the mall.

The first thing Eighteen did was drag Leelee to the nail salon for a brand new manicure. Eighteen suggested pedicures, but Leelee didn't want to show her legs, so they settled for new set of porcelain nails. Luckily for Leelee her hands hadn't been burned; the scars faded to smooth skin just above her wrist, so she was okay with getting her nails done.

After that they hit all the high end shops, picking out sheer long-sleeved peasant tops that were airy enough to be worn in the summer, but the material was dark enough to hide Leelee's scars. They found a bunch of lightweight, flowing skirts that would cover her legs and new pieces of costume jewelry for fun.

Eighteen kept making Leelee try on all the clothes with her, taking turns walking out of the dressing rooms like they were super models on a catwalk. Eighteen pulled on a sunhat that was ridiculously large and an over-sized pair of sunglasses, a feather boa over her shoulders, strutting down the hall of dressing rooms with her lips pursed and her cheeks sucked in.

Leelee doubled over in laughter, "You look ridiculous!"

"Then I would fit in, in New York Fashion Week," Eighteen sneered.

"Oh lord," Leelee said, shaking her head. "It can't be that bad."

"Actually, it's worse," Eighteen said, taking the hat off and setting it aside. "Some of the stuff those designers come up with is just bizarre. But there's other stuff that's absolutely amazing."

"Sounds like fun," Leelee said.

"I've never been; I've only see it in magazines and on TV." Eighteen paused, her eyes going wide behind her sunglasses. She ripped them from her face and knelt before the bench Leelee was sitting on. "Leelee! We should go!"

Leelee blinked in surprise. "Go? Go where?"

"New York Fashion Week!" Eighteen said excitedly, her usually serious persona totally cast to the wind. "I've always wanted to go, but I've never had anyone to go with me. I know Seventeen wouldn't mind. Please? Just us girls. Just you and me."

"O-Okay," Leelee stammered. "When is it?"

"I think it's in the fall," Eighteen said. "I'll have to double check. Oh, Leelee, this will be so much fun!"

Leelee laughed nervously. She wasn't so sure. Being that far away from Seventeen, away from her safe apartment, surrounded by all those beautiful models with their flawless skin…

Eighteen reached over to a rack and grabbed a huge cocktail ring with the biggest fake stone Leelee had ever seen. It was a bright red and stood a good half-inch tall and measured at least an inch in diameter. It was pretty and gaudy at the same time. "Leelee, will you go with me to fashion week?" Eighteen asked, holding the ring up as if she was proposing.

Leelee threw her head back and laughed. She looked back down at Eighteen. "Yes. Yes I will!"

Eighteen slid the ring onto the middle finger of Leelee's right hand. "There's no backing out now. We are engaged to go to fashion week."

Leelee hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. She was beaming by the time she and Eighteen left the store, paying for the ring and the other clothes they'd bought.

"And you can never ever ever take it off," Eighteen snickered, linking elbows with Leelee as they made their way to the next store.

"Ever," Leelee promised.

* * *

It was late afternoon before they settled down at a table in the Café Court, groaning happily as they piled their shopping bags into the chairs.

"You sit with our stuff, I'll grab us something to eat," Eighteen said and headed off for the line of mini-restaurants.

Leelee was admiring her nails, leaning back in her seat, turning the huge ring on her finger side-to-side, smiling at the way the light hit it. It was kind'a pretty after all. She watched the crowds of shoppers as they made their way through the food court; she had to laugh. No one had nearly as many packages as she and Eighteen did.

'I'm glad Eighteen drug me out of bed,' she thought to herself as she watched the carousel spinning, the children on it laughing gleefully as the music played. Late afternoon sunlight shone through the skylights overhead, casting the carousel in a beautiful light. Leelee smiled again and looked at her bright red nails again.

"Oh my god," came a voice from behind. "That's the bitch that got me fired."

Leelee felt like she'd swallowed a block of ice at the sound of that voice. She sat up straight and spun around – the table behind her had three girls about her own age sitting there. One of them was the waitress Stephanie from the restaurant. She smirked at Leelee, crossing her arms as she sat in the booth which was positioned next to a tall, decorative brick wall. She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, I'm talking about you, bitch."

Leelee turned her back and stared down at her lap as the waitress's voice continued to carry.

"Didn't you say she had all sorts of scars or something?" one of the friends asked.

"Oh yeah," Stephanie the waitress said loudly. "Seriously, like, all over her arm and her legs. Look! You can see how she's trying to hide it there on her neck."

Leelee could feel the tears coming again. She'd had so much fun with Eighteen that day and now, of all people to run into. She twitched her head a bit, making her braids fall like a curtain across the side of her neck and face.

"Ew! I see it!" the other friend said. "It's all… wrinkled looking." Leelee heard the scrape of a tray sliding across their table. "Well I just lost my appetite."

"Good cause you're getting fat anyway," Stephanie sneered.

"You're such a bitch, Steph."

"At least I'm not a disfigured freak show," she answered, her voice still raised. "_God_, if I was that hideous, I think I'd have killed myself by now. The hell happened to you anyway, nigger?"

An audible sob escaped Leelee's throat as she leaned further over, covering her face with her hands. The table before her shook and she looked up suddenly. It was Eighteen, who had just slammed the tray of food she was carrying down on the table. She tipped her chin to the side. "What did I just hear you say to her?"

The waitress snorted. "Nothing that concerns you."

Eighteen narrowed her cold blue eyes and moved to stand in front of the waitress. "You better apologize to my sister. Now."

Leelee spun in her seat to stare at Eighteen's back.

"Sister?" the waitress scoffed, "Yeah, sure. _Okay._"

Eighteen grabbed their table and flipped it easily away, causing the girls to scream. She grabbed the waitress by her ponytail, forcing her face to look at Leelee. "What?" Eighteen asked in a low voice, her face next to the waitress's. "You don't see the family resemblance?"

The waitress clenched her teeth and stared at Eighteen out of the corner of her eye. She recognized something in Eighteen then – her eyes, those pale, cold blue eyes that were exactly the same as the man at the table the night she'd been fired. "You're _his_ sister," she said.

"Figure that out, did ya?" Eighteen sneered, releasing her hold on the waitress's hair. She stood up straight.

"Such a waste," the waitress snarled, fixing her hair quickly. "Your brother's soooo sexy. It's too bad a man like that turned out to be a nigger-lover. You must be so ashamed. Especially since he chose a scarred up one like her."

Eighteen was outraged. She could feel her patience snapping, the pure hatred for this stranger bubbling over. It didn't take much to realize this was the waitress Seventeen had told her about. "If memory serves me correctly, he told you if you ever spoke to her like that again, he'd break your face. Since he's not here, allow me."

Before the waitress could react, Eighteen had grabbed her by the front of her shirt, lifted her out of the seat, and spun around to slam her back against the brick wall. Her friends screamed and ran for it, scrambling through the tables and chairs to escape. Eighteen held her there, her knuckles digging into the waitress's collarbones. "APOLOGIZE."

Stephanie the waitress was struggling to catch her breath – all the air had been knocked from her lungs when Eighteen slammed her against the wall. But she wasn't going to be forced into anything. She glared fiercely at Eighteen and kept her mouth shut.

Eighteen pulled her away from the wall and slammed her against it again. "I said apologize!" she demanded through clenched teeth. Eighteen jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Leelee.

"Stop, Eighteen," she said.

Eighteen's eyes were blazing with a feral rage as she pressed her fists into the waitress's shirt.

"She's not worth it," Leelee continued, her voice defeated and saddened. "Let her go."

The waitress's eyes were wide with surprise and Eighteen looked to her again. "You're lucky," she hissed. "You're lucky she's such a kind heart. You have no idea… NO IDEA… what she's been through. The sacrifices she's made over the years to protect people like you… She's a fierce warrior and a devout friend. She's helped save this world countless times and you don't even know it. For you to treat her like this… You disgust me." Eighteen released her hold on the waitress who collapsed to the floor, looking stunned and frightened.

Leelee wrapped her fingers around Eighteen's upper arm and gently pulled her towards their table. They gathered up their shopping bags and the tray of food, ignoring the eyes of the other mall patrons who stared at them and headed outside to sit under a patio umbrella.

"Sorry about her," Eighteen apologized quietly as she sat down and grabbed her salad.

"Don't worry about it," Leelee muttered, picking at her own food.

They sat in silence for a while, Leelee miserably lamenting her decision to leave the apartment and Eighteen angrily stabbing her salad, crunching the lettuce viciously in her teeth, unable to calm her rage at that bigoted bitch that had ruined their day. Her mind was working overtime, furiously trying to figure out a way to bring Leelee back from getting depressed all over again.

Two young men walked by their table, casting obvious glances at Leelee and Eighteen. Eighteen's eyes followed them as they headed for the doors to the mall. She jumped up and ran after them, nearly knocking her chair over backwards as she went.

"Hey," she said loudly to them.

They turned and looked at her with pleasant, curious looks.

"My friend over there thinks you're hot," she said to the taller of the two men. "Can I get your number for her?"

He looked over Eighteen's shoulder at Leelee and smiled a big, toothy grin. "Sure! She's cute."

Eighteen dug in her purse and pulled out a small notepad and a pen. She offered them to him and he quickly scrawled his name and number on the paper.

"How about you?" his friend asked. "You want my number? We could double sometime."

Eighteen gave a flattering smile. "Sure."

The handsome young man looked as if he couldn't believe his luck and took the notepad from his friend, adding his own name and number.

"We'll call you," Eighteen said with a wink as she took the paper back and headed back to her table.

"You know them?" Leelee asked.

"No," Eighteen said as she sat back down and tossed the notepad to Leelee. "But they want to know you. They think you're cute."

Leelee scoffed as she looked at the paper in her hands. "Phone numbers?"

Eighteen smirked. "See? People still think you're pretty."

"Eighteen, I'm with your brother. What the hell?" Leelee asked, holding up the phone numbers.

Eighteen sighed in exasperation. "That's not the point, Leelee! You don't have to call them. But you could." Eighteen looked around the large outdoor patio. "Hell, I bet you could have any of these guys if you wanted!"

Leelee snorted. "Whatever."

"How much you wanna bet?"

Leelee blinked. "Huh?"

"I'll bet you the cost of the trip to fashion week that I can get more phone numbers for you than you can get for me," Eighteen stated.

Leelee frowned and raised her eyebrows, considering. "Free trip to New York? What the hell? This I can win."

"All right then," Eighteen said, digging in one of Leelee's bags. "Put this on. I can't wait for my free trip."

"You're on."

After Leelee had changed into a red peasant top with bell sleeves and a flowing black skirt, she and Eighteen stored their bags away in the car and reentered the mall, predatorily looking for handsome young men who appeared to be single.

They went everywhere. Sporting goods stores and men's fashion shops, the arcade, back to the food court, absolutely everywhere. They didn't stop until the mall declared that it was closing and they walked outside, each holding handfuls of paper scraps with numbers written all over them.

"Count 'em up," Eighteen said, smiling.

They quickly counted up their papers.

"Thirty three," Leelee announced. "Fashion week, here I come."

"HA!" Eighteen laughed. "On your dime! Thirty six! I win!"

"Thirty six?" Leelee gasped. "There's NO WAY you found thirty six guys who thought I was attractive."

"Read 'em and weep," Eighteen said, handing the papers to Leelee, who quickly counted them.

"You bitch," Leelee breathed.

"And I only fly first class," Eighteen informed her, taking both stacks of papers from Leelee and tearing them up. She tossed them into the trash can. "Come on, let's go pick up some pizza and go home. I bet Seventeen's missing you right now."

"Okay," Leelee said, unable to hide the smile from her face as she fell into step beside Eighteen, heading for the car.

* * *

Seventeen was lounged out on the floor, leaning back against the couch, sipping a beer when he heard Eighteen and Leelee's laughter outside the door. He sat up and smiled, his heart leaping. _Leelee was laughing._

They burst through the door, both of them carrying tons of shopping bags, Eighteen balancing hot pizza boxes in one hand. Seventeen stood and quickly took the boxes from her and set them on the coffee table.

"I… I can't believe you…" Leelee gasped, doubling over in laughter.

"You ladies have a good time?" Seventeen smiled, stepping over to Leelee and kissing her temple.

"He deserved it," Eighteen smirked, setting her bags on the floor.

"Oh god, what'd you do?" Seventeen asked his sister.

"Okay, so we go to get the pizza," Leelee answered for her, "And there's this guy there, he's with some buddies over at a table, and he comes up to the counter to ask for another round of beer. And he gives me a weird look – he was looking at the scars on my neck, you could tell – and Eighteen says hi to him. And he blinks and says hi back, real slow like he doesn't have any idea who this pretty girl is talking to him."

Seventeen sighed. "Flirting again, sis?"

"Shut up," Eighteen answered.

"So Eighteen says, 'You don't remember me?' And he's staring, like, no. And she's like, 'that's okay. Fine. Whatever.' And he starts begging her, and I mean BEGGING her to tell him where he should know her from. And they guy behind the counter brings us our pizzas and Eighteen looks at this guy and says, 'I just thought you were a better person than to be out getting drunk in public. Have a good night.' And so we leave," Leelee continued as Eighteen sat on the floor behind the coffee table, flipping open a pizza box.

Seventeen turned to her. "So where'd you know him from?"

Leelee laughed again as Eighteen answered, "Never seen him before in my life."

Seventeen laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "Oh my god, you're the best, Eighteen."

"You should'a seen me kick that waitress's ass today," Eighteen said as she bit into her pizza.

Leelee sat down beside her as Seventeen grabbed each of them a beer from the fridge. "Wait, what?" He popped the tops off the bottles and handed the girls a drink as he sat on Leelee's other side.

Eighteen and Leelee explained about the waitress and everything that happened in the food court.

"Good," he stated harshly when Eighteen finished talking. "Thanks for taking care of my girl, sis. You're awesome."

"Ah, she's pretty awesome herself," Eighteen smiled.

"See?" Seventeen said to Leelee, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We love you."

Leelee nodded and leaned into the side of his chest. "I love you guys, too."

He grabbed her face and kissed her passionately while Eighteen turned up the volume on the TV, stating, "I don't need to listen to you all suck each other's faces off."

They broke apart and laughed, Leelee cuddling up to Seventeen with Eighteen at her side. They spent most of the night watching movies while eating their pizza and drinking beer, Leelee never moving from Seventeen's side until she fell asleep on his chest.

He knocked the bottom of his beer bottle against Eighteen's shoulder to get her attention. She tore her eyes from the TV to look at him and smiled when he indicated Leelee asleep on his chest.

"I don't know what you did," he said softly. "But thanks, sis."

She nodded. "Anytime."


	12. Go Play in the Dirt

Tien stood in his front yard, the early spring air warm around him as he stared at the young woman before him, her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.

"Try again," he encouraged, even though his tone was strict. "Focus your energy beneath you, holding you up."

She stood up straight again, fixing him with an intense stare as she tried to concentrate. She could feel the energy gathering beneath her feet like it had all morning. Over and over she'd tried, she'd been trying for days, after spending weeks working with Tien on bringing her energy out on command. The dust swirled around her feet, there was a pressure building under her heels…

"Atta girl," he said, the concentration on his face just as intense as hers. 'You can do it,' he thought to himself. 'C'mon girl, you're so close.' He was watching her feet as if he was trying to will her into the air. Slowly, ever so slowly, her heels parted with the ground, rising into the air… He held his breath, 'Yes!' he thought…

She was hovering just inches above the ground, still staring at him. She rose a bit more; there was at least a foot between her toes and the dirt.

"Good job!" Tien cried.

Sabriena blinked at him. "Huh?" She looked down at her feet and realized she was off the ground. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed in surprise, breaking her concentration, and she immediately collapsed back to the ground.

Tien's eyes went wide. "You okay?"

Her shoulders were shaking and for a moment he thought she was crying until she threw her head back and laughed. "I did it!" she yelled, raising one fist triumphantly.

He relaxed and smiled. "All right. Now do it again."

She got to her feet, clapping her hands and grinning down at her own feet. "It's on now."

"Ah, ah," he said. "You owe me pushups first."

"Oh, come on, Tien," she whined. "I can't even cuss when I'm excited?"

He simply pointed to the ground and crossed his arms again.

She huffed and dropped to the ground to do her pushups, her mind screaming every single curse word she could think of. She got back to her feet and concentrated again.

"Take your time," Tien said in a patient tone.

She threw him a filthy look.

"I mean it, Sabriena," he warned.

She squared her shoulders haughtily and focused her energy once more, slowly rising into the air again, this time watching the ground as it seemed to fall away from her. She smirked to herself. This wasn't so hard.

"Sabriena," Tien scolded. "You're not listening to me."

She was hovering far too high for only her second time off the ground. She was at least four feet in the air, which would be a pretty good drop for someone her height, and was still rising slowly. She didn't have the energy for this, Tien could sense it.

"Oh, relax, _Mr. Shinhan_," she smirked as she always did when she thought he was being too instructional, her hands on her hips. "I got this."

He shook his head slowly as he felt her energy dropping. He sighed internally and thought, 'Three… Two… One…'

Sabriena faltered, waving her arms, and fell back to the ground in a heap.

"Told ya so," Tien said flatly.

Sabriena slammed her fists against the ground with a snarl, her back rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. She suddenly felt exhausted. "Why am I so tired?!"

"You used too much of your energy," he answered simply. He smiled, "Maybe I should make you chop more wood. Build your stamina."

"Chicken lollipop," she muttered.

He frowned. He still couldn't figure that one out. "What's your problem?"

"I want to learn this and be done with it! I'm tired, I'm sore, and I just wanna be done!" she raged, getting to her feet and angrily kicking at the grass.

"Rushing your training not only puts you in danger when we actually go into battle, but it reflects poorly on me as your teacher," Tien said, crossing his arms again. "How many times do I have to tell you that this isn't an overnight process?"

"I don't have time for this!" she argued. "I want to get it done and get back to civilization. You know, where _normal_ people live!" She sneered at him. "Besides, I thought you'd be happy to get me outta your hair."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Really? Bald jokes? I expect better from you."

She squared her shoulders again, trying to focus her energy, but it was no use. She was worn out.

"You need to learn some patience," Tien said.

"I don't have time for this!" she protested.

"We're gonna make the time." He walked to her and bumped her shoulder lightly with his elbow. "C'mon. Let's go play in the dirt." And with that, he headed off around the edge of his cabin, heading for the backyard.

She stared after him, her eyes wide. "The DIRT?!" She stood there, waiting for his answer, but it never came. She growled and stomped after him. "TIEN! What do you mean, 'play in the dirt'?!"

She found him at the edge of his garden, sitting on his heels, staring quietly across the ground.

Tien smiled softly to himself as he looked over the barren garden. He picked up a clod of dirt and slowly crumbled it in his hand, letting it trail back to the earth, the feel of the soil comforting in his hand. He could envision the garden already – the green plants, the ripe vegetables of every shape and color, the satisfaction of knowing how well you survived the winter depended on how much effort you put in during the spring. There was a calm excitement in his chest, an anxiousness to see it all come together. He loved the turning of the weather and the challenges each new season brought. The plowing and planting in the Spring, the weeding and watering during Summer, harvesting and preserving in the Fall…

Sabriena sighed as she came to a stop next to him. "What are you talking about, playing in the dirt?" she repeated. "I don't like to get dirty."

"I've noticed," he answered. "It'll be good for you to help me get the garden ready. Think of it as one of those mud-bath things you city girls like."

She scrunched up her nose at him. "Hardly. That's _clean_ mud."

He ran a hand over his face. "Clean mud? That's gotta be the most ridiculous oxymoron I've ever heard." He shook his head. "Never heard anything so stupid in my life."

"How is this supposed to help me?" she demanded.

"You said magick comes from the earth, right? From every living thing on it?"

She nodded.

"Well how do you expect to tap into that power if you don't spend any time with the Earth?"

Sabriena looked at the bare, hard dirt in front of her. He had a point. But tilling a garden wasn't her idea of fun. Or planting. "You realize I suck at taking care of plants."

"It's not that hard," he answered.

"Tien, I killed a cactus for Christ's sake!" she protested.

He snickered and stood up, brushing the dirt from his fingers. "Well then, it's time you learned."

She huffed. It was no use arguing with him, just as arguing about slowing down her training or chopping wood was no use. "Fine," she grumbled. "Where's the tiller-thingy?"

Tien walked to the back of the cabin and grabbed two garden hoes and handed one to her.

"Oh, you gotta be shittin' me!" she cried in frustration. "We're gonna turn this whole plot with this?!" she asked through gritted teeth as she gripped the hoe and shook it.

"Language," he said in a warning tone, giving her a disapproving look.

"Fuck language!" she shouted. She was tired and sore and had absolutely no use for this.

"That's double," he snapped back at her. "You wanna keep going?!"

Her shoulders were shaking as she breathed heavily through her nose. She dropped the hoe noisily to the ground and got down to her hands, harshly shoving at the ground as she did her double-round of pushups. She was so sick of this. Correcting her language all the time… the damn pushups several times a day… This wasn't training, this was bootcamp. She glared up at him as he stared down his nose at her. She was already so tired and sore, now she had to spend the rest of her day doing something as useless as turning soil. She finished her pushups and got back to her feet, snatching the hoe off the ground.

"Channel some of that anger and put it to good use," he stated and walked to the other end of the garden patch. He smiled to himself again as he heard her slam the hoe into the dirt over and over, muttering under her breath. He didn't know why her frustration amused him so. He calmly began to chop at the dirt himself, reveling in the smell of the fresh turned soil.

They worked for nearly an hour, neither speaking to the other, when Tien suddenly realized it had gone quiet. "I don't hear that hoe," he said loudly.

"My arms hurt!" she shouted back.

He turned and narrowed his eyes at her. "Hmm. Maybe I do hear one after all."

She gaped at him. Oh, no he didn't. She flung her hoe to the ground and stormed across the garden, raising her fist.

Tien calmly dropped his hoe and stepped back into a defensive stance. "C'mon, girl. Let's see what you've got."

She flung herself at him, swinging her fist, which he easily blocked. She jumped and spun, driving her heel against his shoulder. She screamed in frustration, throwing everything she had at him, but he just continued to block, letting her wear herself out. She was faster than she had been when he'd watched her spar with Catie. And her hits were stronger than he'd judged them to be. He wasn't sure if it was her training or her anger, or a combination of both, but there was promise here.

"Fight back, you coward!" she screamed at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her words and instead of blocking her next punch, grabbed her forearm and flipped her over, face-first, into the dirt. He kept his hold on her arm and twisted it around her back, pinning her to the garden soil. He leaned over her and spoke into her ear in a chillingly calm voice. "Now, I can bust up the soil with a tool, or I can bust it up with you. Your call. Either way, you're gonna do your share."

Sabriena was seething. Tien wasn't hurting her, but he was making sure she wasn't going anywhere either. She panted through clenched teeth, her anger boiling over. Catie and Jenny could hold their own against Vegeta, yet she didn't stand a chance against Tien? This was bullshit. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm herself.

"You ready to play nice?"

She gave a jerk of a nod and he released her. She shoved herself to her feet and marched away from him without another word and began to hack at the ground again. "You're just going to have to do this all over again," she muttered. "It's all going to die anyway. I killed a cactus!" She wiped at her forehead with the back of her wrist. The sun was getting hot on the back of her neck as she worked. "Why should I have to do this anyway? Even if something miraculously manages to grow, I'm going to be long gone by then."

"I seriously doubt that," he calmly answered over his shoulder as he returned to his work. "You know, if you put half as much effort into your work as you do complaining, you'd be leagues ahead of yourself by now."

"Oh, would you just shut up?" she snapped.

Tien had had just about enough of her attitude. He stood straight and turned to her again. "Do you talk to other people like this? Because if you do, I'm amazed you have any friends."

She turned and looked at him, a hurt look in her eyes that he'd never seen before. She pressed her lips together and turned back to the garden, digging her hoe into the earth again.

Tien squeezed his eyes shut and immediately regretted his words. He'd struck a nerve and he knew it. He sighed softly, shook his head, and returned to his work again.

His words stung. Mostly because they were true. She didn't have many close friends. To be honest, the only people she'd ever really been able to count as friends were Lindsey and Jenny. Sure, she'd partied with Catie and Leelee and the guys, but they weren't particularly close. Hell, sometimes she felt pretty certain that Catie didn't care for her at all. She always had people around, people she could talk to and hang out with, but she'd never been that close to any of them. Her "friends" back at the Warehouse didn't know about her powers or the things she'd been through over the past couple years. She didn't talk to them about her problems or her feelings. She'd always kept that kind of stuff to herself, only going to Lindsey or Jenny when she felt she absolutely couldn't stand to keep it in anymore, which was a very rare thing.

And how much time did she spend with either of them anymore? She was constantly training with Tien now, getting up at three in the morning, every morning, so she could get dressed and eat her breakfast and make the two-hour flight to his house by six. She rarely saw Jenny in passing if Jenny had stayed too late at Capsule Corp, and even then, they barely said hello to each other. Jenny was working so hard on that armor, and when she wasn't, she had a husband and babies to take care of. Which was really weird for Sabriena to wrap her mind around. Jenny, married, with two kids. While she, Sabriena, was still single and not even interested in getting married and certainly never, ever wanted to have children.

And now Lindsey was right there with Jenny. She was due to have her own baby in a couple months and Sabriena hadn't even seen her once since she'd returned to Japan. And once that baby was here, Lindsey wasn't going to have any time for her at all. Hell, she barely made time for her before she was pregnant, she was so wrapped up in Gohan.

Sabriena's eyes were burning as she thought about it and pulled at the soil, busting it apart into soft rows. She blinked harshly several times. She refused to cry. But she just felt so alone now.

Sabriena never allowed herself to cry in front of anyone, save for the time when Tumbler had died during those storms. Ever since her mom died when Sabriena was nine years old, she refused to cry. Crying meant she'd lost someone, that she was vulnerable, and that she cared. She didn't want to care about people because that only meant you ended up getting hurt. And she was tired of hurting. She had cried over Tumbler when he'd been killed in those storms. He was the one person she'd let get close to her, closer than even her two friends, and what had he done? Betrayed her. He was the only person she'd cried about since her mother's death, and to what ends? Crying didn't fix it. Showing him that she cared about him didn't fix his problems or make him want to be a better person.

Even her own father barely noticed when she stopped coming home and had started staying at the Warehouse when she was seventeen. He was always too busy working at the Power Plant, coming home late at night to just tromp down to the basement and rest on the couch, watching TV until he fell asleep. He was a good man, a good dad, but he just worked too much. She hadn't even spoken to him since she left the states this last time; she wondered if he even knew she was on the other side of the world right now. Probably not.

She had no friends. No boyfriend. No mother. And her father wasn't even aware that she was gone. What the hell was she working for?

She looked up suddenly as the realization of it hit her. There was no point. She had no one to fight for anymore, no one to protect. Why should she risk her life in this war? She was busting her ass all day, every day, and for nothing and no one. She dropped the hoe to the ground and started off across the garden, heading for her car.

Tien turned when he heard the tool hit the ground. "Hey! Where are you going?" he called.

"I QUIT!" she shouted without breaking step.

"Quit?" he asked, dropping the hoe he held and running after her. "Why? Wait!" He caught up to her just as she rounded the corner of the cabin and stepped in front of her, grabbing her by the upper arms and leaning down to look in her eyes. "Where are you going?"

"I'm done," she said, looking down at her shoes.

"Wait a second," he said, his voice soft. "I'm sorry for what I said about you having friends. I was just…."

"Telling the truth," she cut across him.

He blinked at her, not understanding. "Huh?"

She met his eyes with a fierce stare. "I _don't_ have any friends! What the hell am I working for here? None of them have any time for me anymore!"

Tien let the curse slide. "You can't give up now. You've worked so hard. You're getting there!"

She rolled her eyes. "It's pointless. What's the point in fighting for something if you don't have someone to fight for?" She shook her head. "And you know what else, I'm not even sure I want anyone! People suck. I'm just… gonna go… become a nun or something," she finished lamely.

Tien snickered. Once again, even though she was raging mad, her humor shone through.

"I'm glad it's funny to you," she snapped.

"It's not," he said seriously.

"Get off me, Tien," she said sadly. "I'm going home. I'm done."

He didn't release his grip on her arms. "No, you're not. You've put in too much work to stop now."

"But what's the point?!" she shouted.

"To prove to yourself that you're worth it!" he answered loudly. He composed himself and spoke in a softer voice, "You don't have to do it for anyone else. Prove to yourself that you're worth the hard work and the effort." He smirked. "And shove it down Vegeta's throat."

The corner of her mouth twitched as if she wanted to smile at that thought.

"See?" Tien asked, leaning slightly closer. "You want to. You know you do."

She huffed. "Fiiiiiiine."

"Good," he said, letting go of her and standing up straight. "Now come on. Let's finish tilling the garden."

She rolled her eyes again, but headed back to the garden to finish her work.

* * *

They were both dirty and tired by the time the sun started to set. They leaned their tools up against the back of the cabin and walked around the front to head inside.

"You wanna stay for supper?" Tien asked as they entered the cabin.

Sabriena shrugged. She was still in a sour mood. They'd spent the entire afternoon with neither of them speaking, both lost in their own thoughts and their work.

"Why don't you stay?" he pressed. "We can plan our garden. You said you like to cook – you can tell me what you'd like to plant. That might be fun, right?"

She sighed, "I guess." She plopped down at the rough table and leaned her cheek against her hand. "Maybe I could put in a section for an herb garden?"

He nodded as he lit the oil lamp and set it in the middle of the table, throwing light into the cabin. "Sure," he answered.

Something in Sabriena's bag caught her eye. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said, her tone happier. She reached into the purse and pulled out a huge, clear plastic bag and slid it across the table to Tien. "There's that deer jerky I promised you."

He sat down at the table and pulled it closer. "So this is supposed to be really good, huh?"

"I told you I'm a good cook," she retorted.

"I'll be the judge of that," he teased. "Let's see if it's as good as you say it is."

She crossed her arms and threw one leg over the other, sitting back in her chair to watch his reaction as he tore open the bag. He ripped a piece off with his teeth and chewed… his eyes went wide…

"Told ya," she sneered.

"Oh my god," Tien gasped as he chewed. "This is, without a doubt, the best jerky I've ever had!"

She smirked. "You doubted me."

"A little," he answered honestly. "I retract any doubt I previously had of your cooking abilities."

"Well at least I can do something right," she sighed and reached for a piece herself.

"Seriously, I didn't know it was going to be this good," he said, taking a second piece. Then a third. He couldn't stop himself.

"You eat jerky like the Saiyans devour… well… anything," she teased.

He raised his eyebrows. "This is amazing."

She smiled a genuine smile. "Thanks."

Tien got up from the table and went to the shelves on the other side of the cabin, grabbing some sheets of paper and a carpenter's pencil. He sat back down at the table and quickly sketched out a large rectangle the shape of his garden. "C'mere, girl. Help me figure this out."

Sabriena scooted her chair around to sit beside him, leaning over the paper.

"Where do you want your herb garden?" he asked, ripping another piece of jerky in his teeth.

She pointed. "Here. It's higher than the rest of the garden. Herbs need good drainage."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I thought you said you didn't garden?"

"I don't," she answered. "But that doesn't mean I don't remember information from my cooking classes at college."

Tien sketched out a square on the corner of the garden she'd indicated. "What do you want to put there? I've got lots of seeds."

"Sage, rosemary, dill," she began to list off.

"Hold on, slow down," he said and began to write.

"Oh my god," she scolded and snatched the pencil away. "Your handwriting is awful. We'll never be able to read that."

He snickered as she pulled the paper closer and began to write out her list of herbs.

"Now," she said, "What else do you want to plant?"

* * *

They spent the rest of the evening sketching out the garden, Sabriena labeling everything in her neat writing, both of them filling up so much on jerky that they forgot to cook supper.

"Oh my god, it's ten o'clock," Sabriena said, checking her cell phone. "I gotta go."

Tien didn't want to see her go. He was having fun talking with her about their garden, about the things she could cook once it was up and going, about how they could can and preserve the harvest to last through the winter. She seemed in her element somehow, all this talk of fresh produce and fancy dishes he'd never even heard of, yet somehow found himself dying to try them.

"You could stay here," he blurted out.

She looked at him in surprise.

"I mean, it's a long flight back to Capsule Corp," he said. "You could sleep here tonight. I'll sleep outside. It's a nice night; I don't mind."

Sabriena got up and slung her purse over her shoulder. "Nah, I'm not gonna make you do that," she said. "You worked hard, you should sleep in your bed." She stretched and yawned. "Besides, I need a hot shower. _Someone _decided to throw me in the dirt."

"Well maybe someone wouldn't have done that if you hadn't attacked him," he teased.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said, giving his shoulder a playful shove. "See ya tomorrow."

"Have a goodnight, Sabriena," he said, smiling at her.

"You too," she answered and headed out into the dark, cool night, closing the door behind her.

He sat back in his chair, looking at the door for a moment until he heard her car start up and the motor fade away. Despite their arguments, the day had turned out to be a really good day. She'd finally managed to fly, even if just a little bit, she'd helped him plan the garden, and he'd actually enjoyed her company that evening.

His excitement flared again as he looked at their plans, the rows sketched out and labeled in her perfect, scrolling hand. She'd seemed to warm up to the idea of the garden. He smiled again. He loved working the land; it was rewarding to him.

He grabbed one of the few pieces of jerky left and bit into it. "I'm gonna need another deer," he muttered to himself.

He couldn't help thinking about the things she'd talked about cooking. "Especially with fresh ingredients!" she'd squealed excitedly.

She'd mentioned the idea of chickens a few weeks ago, saying she'd make pasta and omelets and all sorts of other things, just from the eggs. And if she had chicken meat to cook with? Tien bit into another piece of jerky, his mind working. Maybe the chickens weren't such a bad idea after all. They didn't take up much space, they'd provide fertilizer for the garden, and they could free range on bugs, keeping the insect population around the cabin down.

Making up his mind, Tien slid the garden plan to the side and picked up the pencil and a fresh sheet of paper to sketch out plans for a chicken coop and to make a materials list. He worked on it until the early morning hours, perfecting it until every facet of it was functional and practical. The oil lamp was nearly out when he finally kicked off his boots and crawled into bed, thinking he needed to wash the sheets tomorrow anyway. He couldn't stop smiling as he drifted off to sleep, thinking of showing Sabriena the plans he'd created when she arrived the next morning.


	13. The Shirt

The next couple weeks proved to be more challenging for Sabriena that she had anticipated. Their mornings always started out the same, meditating and clearing their minds, preparing for the day ahead. Then they would venture outside to work on her flying, which was definitely improving. She could make short trips to the river through the air, and had enough energy now to raise up above the peak of the cabin without a fear of falling. They grabbed a quick lunch and then began their chores in the afternoon, chopping wood for the outdoor fire pit that Tien preferred to cook over now that the weather was warm again.

"Do you really need this much wood?" she'd complain.

"Winter will be back eventually," he'd answer, "and I don't like to get behind. It's easier to just keep up on it."

They also had the garden to tend to now. Several trips had to be made back and forth to the river, carrying buckets of water to water the plants, which didn't seem to want to grow.

"The only thing we're growing is weeds," she kept grumbling, kneeling in the dirt, pulling them up one by one. "Told you I kill everything. The seeds died before they even had a chance!"

Tien would shake his head, sometimes muttering something about patience, which Sabriena ignored.

It was in the first week of April that Tien announced it was time for their real training to begin.

"What the hel…. Heck" she corrected herself as he raised an eyebrow, "have we been doing so far?"

"Just laying the foundation," he answered simply, adjusting his belt. "Today we start sparring." He was wearing his green pants and a tight-fitting white tank, revealing the big rounded muscles of his shoulders, his strong arms and the flat muscles of his chest.

"Oh god," Sabriena muttered, thinking how much it would hurt if she managed to land a hard punch on him. Hitting those muscles would be like hitting a brick wall. She sighed and pulled her shirt up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, unable to tear his eyes away from her exposed midriff. He could see her lightly tanned skin and flat stomach, could see just how exaggerated her hour-glass shape was, the faintest line of her hip just barely visible above the waist of her jeans. His breath caught for a second and he had to mentally shake himself.

"I gotta take this thing out," she answered, fumbling with the piece of silver in her navel. "You told me to take it out when we started sparring."

"Why would you do that to yourself anyway?" he asked in a disapproving tone.

"Because it's sexy," she answered, still fumbling with the piece of jewelry.

Tien shook his head. He didn't see the appeal of putting holes in your skin.

"There we go," she said finally and slid the ring into her pocket. She smoothed her shirt back down and looked to Tien. "So where do we start?"

"First thing, you have to learn to throw a decent punch," he said, walking to her. He stopped when he was a couple feet away from her. "Hit me."

She gaped up at him, narrowing her eyes. "Just how tall are you exactly?"

"Six four. Quit stalling. Hit me."

She felt awkward and silly as she balled her hand into a fist and swung wide, her blow landing on his bicep. Tien didn't flinch, but she stepped back, shaking her hand and rubbing her wrist.

"Sabriena, quit playing around," he scolded.

"I'm not!" she answered. She shook her hand again.

"You threw a lot better punches than that when you attacked me in the garden the other day," he said.

"Yeah, well, I was mad at you," she answered. "I've never hit anyone when I wasn't mad at them."

This was going to be more work than he thought. "All right, first thing, put your arms up like this. Use your forearms to protect your face."

She raised her arms uncertainly and curled her hands into fists again.

"Thumbs outside your fingers," he corrected her. "Pull your elbows in a bit. And don't be so stiff." He stepped even closer and grabbed her arm, pulling it down. "Keep your knuckles in line with your arm," he instructed, laying his palm against the side of her wrist, straightening her hand so that it was aligned with her arm. "If you turn your hand in the way you did, you'll roll your wrist and your blow will just glance off."

"Yeah, I noticed," she muttered.

"It's okay, you've never been taught," Tien said, the thought angering him. Why had the other girls been given instruction and she had not, yet they were all expected to fight? Even if no one else had thought about it before, at least Goku should have.

"Okay, keep your wrists like that, hold your arms up," he said, stepping back again. "Now, the first punch I'm going to teach you is a jab. It's a good way of judging how close your opponent is. It's quick. It'll keep them from getting too close to you, too."

She gave a nod, hanging on his every word, trying to memorize it as quickly as possible.

"Put one foot forward just a bit… there ya go. Put your weight on your back foot. Now, when you throw a jab, push off with your back foot. It'll give you some momentum to really generate power in that hit," he said. "Rotate your fist when you punch." He raised his arms to match hers and slowly extended his arm, turning his arm over as if throwing the punch in slow motion. "You see?"

She mimicked him, using the same slow motion.

"Good," he said, "now do it fast. It's like a snap. Out and back." He quickly threw the punch, immediately snapping his arm back to guard the side of his face again. He lowered his arms. "Think you can do that?"

"I think so," she answered.

"Hit me again." He said, raising his arms to block her.

She focused on his words, on all the little details that added up to a much better attack, and hit him. He felt it that time.

"Nice," he grinned. "Do it again. Faster."

Her hand didn't feel like it was splitting this time as her fist collided with his bicep. She did it again and again, determined to improve, to make him see she was serious about this. She was finally learning the information she'd really come out here for.

"Switch it up," he told her, moving his arm to block her attack. That spot on his arm was getting a bit sore from her repeated hits. She was hitting him hard and fast like she'd done that day in the garden, but now she had structure to it. "Swing with your left arm, too. Not just your right."

She jabbed with her left arm, a pathetic excuse for a punch, and she had to stop and laugh. "Sorry, that feels weird. Gimme a second."

"Come on," he encouraged. "Just keep doing it."

"I feel silly," she answered. "Like… my arm's all retarded…" She loosely swung her arm a couple times.

"Okay," he said, dropping his defensive stance. "Start over. Do the same things I just told you, but do it with your left side. You have to learn to use both sides of your body together. If you can switch it up, you surprise your opponent."

"Nothing throws 'em off like a southpaw," she muttered, quoting Tumbler. He prided himself on being left-handed when it came to street fights or bar brawls.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she mumbled.

"And if you don't learn to use your left side, it makes you vulnerable," he continued. "So come on. Do it until it feels natural."

It took a while before she was able to throw a decent punch with her left arm. And even so, it still wasn't as strong as a hit from her right, but Tien seemed pleased.

"Okay, now let's teach you how to throw a hook," he said.

"Can I get a drink first?" she asked, panting. The sun was beating down on them and a thin sheen of sweat covered her body.

He nodded and watched her go to the side of the cabin and grab a canteen. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "you might wanna wear different pants when we spar next time. You're not going to be able to move very well in those jeans."

She wiped the water from her mouth and screwed the top back on the canteen. "I can go without."

A hot blush washed over Tien's face. "I meant sweatpants or something."

She threw her head back and laughed. "You're as easy to get to as Gohan."

Tien shook his head. "I don't know what to think of you sometimes."

"Good!" she grinned, poking him in the abs. "I'll keep you on your toes!"

He had to smile at her. It was rare to see her happy and silly, except in these moments of small victories where she felt she was accomplishing something.

"All right," he said, "Let's get back to it."

"Yessir," she said in a low voice, giving a salute. "Whatever you say, Mr. Shinhan."

He shook his head slowly as they faced each other again. "Okay, hands up. Now, this time, put your feet about shoulder-width apart. Yup. Keep your chin down."

She tucked her chin, her fists even with her eyes as she stared at him, that look of hard concentration on her face again.

He copied her stance. "This time, bring your fist over, across your body. Keep your arm bent and parallel to the ground." He demonstrated again slowly like he had before. "And pop up your elbow to block any counter attack."

He nodded for her to try it and she managed a decent hit to his forearm.

"No, you gotta rotate your hips," he corrected her. "Put some power into it."

She tried again, but lost her footing and faltered for a second. "Dammit," she hissed.

"L-"

"LANGUAGE," she snapped at him before he could form the word. She quickly did her pushups and got back to her feet.

She tried again and nearly stumbled once more.

He sighed. "No." He walked around behind her. "Do it again slow."

Sabriena fell back into the proper stance and moved her arm as if in slow motion. She jumped slightly as Tien placed his strong hands on her hips, pressing her right hip forward and pulling back on the left, trying to get her to feel how her body should move through the motions.

"It should be fluid, your whole body following through," he explained. "You see?"

She slowly pulled her arm back, his hands guiding her hips back to their original stance. She slowly extended her arm again as he helped her through the motions once more.

"Got it?"

She nodded and he released his grip on her, stepping around in front of her once more. She swung on him again, the ghosting feel of his hands on her hips guiding her movement.

"Excellent," Tien grinned as she hit him, almost causing him to lose his balance. "Again."

They continued as before, making her switch up sides and discovered she actually had a pretty mean left hook.

"You tired?" Tien asked after a few hours of training.

She shook her head. "Nah, I'm all right."

"Okay, then let's try this," he said. "I want you to focus your energy into your punches now. Just like you've been guiding it under your feet to hold you up when you fly, I want to you send it down your arm, then hold it. Don't allow it out of your body. Then hit me, just like you've been doing."

Sabriena concentrated, her hands up by her face, feeling that pull in the core of her body, the energy gathering there. She willed it up through her arm and held it there. She swung at him, her left arm catching the front of his shoulder and knocking him backwards. He recovered quickly, but was still surprised. The hit was much stronger than he'd anticipated.

"Faster," he barked, going into a full defensive stance, his eyes intense on her as he tried to predict her next move.

She lunged forward, her jab narrowly missing the side of his face. She snapped her arm back quickly as he made to grab at her. Her bright green eyes lit up. "Oh, you're gonna fight back?"

"Think you can handle it?" he challenged in a low voice.

"I can take _anything _you can dish out," she smirked.

He flew at her, swinging his fist and she threw both of her forearms up to block him, her energy reinforcing her defense. She made to kick at his leg, but his hand wrapped around her ankle and threw her across the yard. She willed herself to a stop, just inches above the ground, her energy suspending her.

"NICE!" Tien smiled. He may have been sparring against her, but he was proud of her for thinking so fast.

She righted herself and flew back at him as fast as she could, bringing her shin up to kick at him, but he blocked with his forearm. She didn't back off. She pressed her shin against his arm with all her strength, trying to force him back, hovering almost sideways in the air.

A fierce smile crossed Tien's face as he stared at her, pushing back against her. She was trying, but he wasn't giving her anything. If she wanted to land a good hit on him, she was going to have to be that good. He shoved her away with a heave of his shoulders and she dropped back to the ground, almost toppling over backwards, but managed to catch herself and charged him again.

"Slow down," he told her as her attacks came too fast. "You're getting sloppy."

She growled at him and concentrated all her energy into a jab she slammed into his abs. Tien had to gasp for air, but brought his elbow up to catch her in the shoulder and threw her away from him.

"HA!" she cried, even as she rubbed at her shoulder. "Got you."

He smiled again. "Well done. You ready to call it a day?"

She snorted. "No. Unless I'm wearing you out, old man."

Tien narrowed his eyes. "Oh, you'll pay for that."

She extended her arm to him and beckoned him forward with a curl of her hand. "Bring it."

* * *

They sparred until sunset when it was too dark to continue. Sabriena could barely walk back to the cabin, she was so exhausted and sore.

"Good job today," Tien said, walking beside her.

"Thanks," she panted. She groaned as she forced herself up the stairs to the cabin. Once inside, she threw herself into one of the wooden chairs at the table and flopped her arms on it, resting her head on them.

Tien gave a small smile. "You rest for a minute. I'll make some supper."

She nodded without opening her eyes.

Tien headed outside and set up the metal tripod over the campfire and suspended the dutch oven from it. He got the fire going and headed around the back of his cabin to the root cellar. He yanked open the heavy door and walked down into the cool earth, breathing in the scent of the dirt. He grabbed a couple mason jars of vegetables and a large piece of salt-cured venison and returned to the fire. He replayed the day over in his mind, smiling to himself as he emptied the jars into the dutch oven and pulled the knife from his boot to slice up the meat.

Sabriena had made leaps and bounds since he'd first watched her spar with Catie. He knew it was in there somewhere. In the last battle they'd been in, she'd done something to defeat her opponent, something big. Tien had seen the charred remains of the man on the ground, the grass around the corpse smoldering and blackened. He found her passed out only a couple feet away, her own blood covering her chin and her neck from where she'd bitten through her tongue. He didn't know what she'd done in that moment, what had brought it out of her, but he was determined to help her harness that power, to bring it out at will and to focus her attacks and fine tune them until she was every bit as fierce a warrior as the rest of them. He made a mental note to ask her about that battle.

The soup was simmering in the pot over the open fire as the first stars started to appear in the sky. The warmth of the day was fading and the cool early spring air wafted over him as he sat by the fire, enjoying the scent of the cooking food. There were no night sounds yet, it was still just a bit too early for the birds and the insects to come back, but he knew they'd return soon. He'd spent many a night by his campfire, listening to those sounds until they nearly lulled him to sleep, the crackling of the fire hypnotizing him.

The soup was just about ready. Tien got up and went back into the cabin, grabbing a couple tin bowls and spoons. Sabriena was asleep against the table, her shoulders rising and falling gently. He carried the bowls outside and ladled the soup into them before carrying them carefully back inside and setting them on the table.

"Sabriena," he said softly, shaking her shoulder.

She jumped bolt upright. "Huh?!"

He snickered. "It's just me. Supper's ready."

"Oh, Tien," she gasped. "You scared the crap out of me."

He chuckled again and slid her a bowl of soup before he sat down at the other end of the table.

She ate slowly, her eyes half closed, and once or twice her head nodded. Tien frowned in concern. "You're not going to be able to drive home tonight."

"Yes I c-can," she yawned deeply.

"You can barely eat your dinner," he countered.

She looked over at him, pieces of her hair falling across her face. "Well where do you suggest I spend the night? It's not like there's a hotel across the street."

"You can sleep here," he offered.

"You only have one bed."

"I'll sleep outside."

She sighed and chewed the corner of her mouth, debating. She knew she really shouldn't drive home when she was this tired. It was too far of a drive.

"Oh, all right," she finally agreed. "I'm too tired to argue. And I really don't want to die in a fiery car crash tonight."

"Yeah, that'd be bad," he agreed, trying not to snicker at her.

They finished their supper and Tien washed the dishes as Sabriena watched him, sleepily leaning against the table. She stood and stretched, running her hands down her stomach and stopped. "Ah, crap."

"Something wrong?" Tien asked, putting the bowls and spoons away.

Sabriena dug in her pocket and pulled out the bellybutton ring. "I gotta put this thing back in or it'll close up over night." She struggled with it for a few moments while Tien watched, trying to wrap his mind around the idea of piercing your own stomach intentionally.

She growled in frustration. "I can't get this thing in!"

"Leave it out," he answered simply.

"I don't want to!" she argued. She held the tiny silver ball in her hand and stared at it. She held her hand out to Tien. "Can you help me?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

"I can't see. My eyes are tired. Please?" she asked.

Tien groaned inside. He didn't know how to do something like that. But he took the tiny silver ball from her hand. "Uh, what am I supposed to do exactly?"

"Just screw it on the post," she answered. She looked around. "This would be easier if I laid down." She walked over to his bed and flopped on her back, still holding her shirt up, her legs hanging off the bed. "Oh my god," she groaned.

"What?" he asked.

"This bed is sooooo comfortable," she answered, closing her eyes and relaxing deep into the soft mattress.

He snickered. "Yeah, I like it."

"You're not getting it back."

He shook his head and leaned slightly over her, looking at the weird way the tiny metal post poked through her skin. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"Nah, not anymore," she answered.

Tien turned the little silver ball over in his fingers and placed it on the post, trying to line it up right. Her skin was soft and warm against the backs of his fingers as he fumbled to screw it on. "This is tedious," he growled.

She snickered. "I know. Now you see why I didn't want to take it out."

He finally felt it connect and twisted the ball. "How tight do I put it on?"

"Just until it stops," she answered.

Tien sighed in relief when the little ball wouldn't spin anymore and he stepped back.

She sat up and looked down at her stomach. "Thanks," she beamed.

"Next time, just put a bandage over it," he said and turned away from her.

She got out of bed, looking around. "What on earth am I going to sleep in? These clothes are filthy." She paused. "Could I borrow a shirt? I'll wash it and bring it back to you."

"Yeah, I've got one you can use," he answered, going to the wardrobe and pulling open a drawer. "It's going to be awfully big on you."

"That's okay," she yawned.

He withdrew one of his white T-shirts and handed it to her. "That work?"

She took it from him. "That'll work."

"All right, well," he said uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sleep well."

"You sure you're okay with sleeping outside?" she asked.

He smiled. "Yeah, it's a nice night." He grabbed his cloak from the wardrobe. "This is all I need. I'll be fine. See you in the morning."

Sabriena waited until Tien had closed the door before she stripped off her clothes and pulled on his big, white T-shirt. It hung to her knees and the neck kept slipping off her shoulder, but it was super soft like it had been washed a million times. She blew out the oil lamp on the table and crawled into Tien's bed under the heavy quilt. She sighed contentedly as she snuggled into the big, lumpy pillow and the squashy mattress. There was that smell again – of fresh earth and split wood, wild onion, river water, leather and that musk that she just couldn't place. She realized it was coming from Tien's shirt. She glanced at the door, just to make sure that Tien was staying outside, then grabbed the shirt and pulled it up to her face, inhaling deeply. God, that smell was intoxicating. She was gonna have to step up the flirt a little bit. He was good looking for an older man and even if his age put him out of her reach, it was fun to watch him blush. 'Nothing wrong with a little friendly flirtation,' she thought. But that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was she was exhausted and sore and she was laying in the most comfortable bed in the world, wrapped in the softest T-shirt that smelled like heaven.

* * *

Tien laid out his cloak on the ground next to the campfire that was still going strong and laid on his side, pulling it over his shoulder. He propped his head up on one elbow and stared into the fire. He didn't mind sleeping outside at all, especially when the weather was just slightly cool like this. The fire would keep animals away and the cloak was soft enough he could sleep relatively comfortably. So why was his mind ablaze in that moment?

Maybe it was because he knew there was a woman in his bed right now. A very… pretty… young woman… He shook his head. No. 'It's just getting to me because it's been so long,' he thought to himself. 'Gosh, how long has it been?' He counted back the years, thinking of how old he must've been when he and Launch called it quits. That was… what? Oh good lord, it was before Goku had kids… Twenty years? Had it been that long? He hadn't been with anyone since Launch.

He shook his head at the memory of her. "What on earth was I thinking?" he muttered to himself. Launch was… intense… to say the least. When she was sweet, everything was fine. But then that other side of her came out and everything went to Hell quick. He tried to make it work, to help her balance the two sides of her personality, but in the end, it was no use. She was too out there, too aggressive, too much. Just too much and not in a good way. She caused trouble wherever she went, always on the wrong side of the law, and treated him like crap. He wasn't even that upset when they broke it off. To be perfectly honest, when they were done the only thing he felt was relief.

But recovering from Launch took longer than he'd expected. She'd worn him out and he was much happier on his own with no one to answer to, no one causing him grief. The years started to pass by without him thinking much about having someone like that in his life, despite the fact that his friends had tried to set him up several times.

Yamcha had drug Tien to the city on numerous occasions that always ended badly. The type of women Yamcha liked were most definitely not Tien's taste. Pretty girls who got around a little too much, the type who were only looking for a good time or someone to pay their bills. They weren't interested in a long term relationship and most turned up their nose when they found out that not only did Tien not have a job, he didn't need one and lived a very quiet, simple life away from the city. Still, there was the occasional girl who would try to convince him to take her home, show her this "romantic little cabin" he'd mentioned. They always said it with a wink or a sly smile and he found his stomach churning at the thought. The last time Tien agreed to go out with Yamcha, he ended up in a loud bar full of smoke and colored lights, sitting at a table sipping a beer (which he hardly ever did) and a woman who was far too drunk had tried to sit in his lap and ended up spilling her drink all over him. That was six years ago and Tien refused to go out with Yamcha again after that.

Tien had tried to date another woman that Bulma had introduced him to, a plain looking girl who was smart and working as an intern at Capsule Corp. But her busy work schedule and his lack of a phone made it nearly impossible to see each other. In fact, they never officially broke up, they just kind of drifted apart after a few weeks and Tien found he didn't mind much.

So why was Sabriena sleeping in his bed bothering him so? She wasn't his type. But she wasn't like the easy girls Yamcha paraded in front of him either. She was shallow and materialistic, always with that stupid phone in her pocket, typing messages to whoever kept pestering her. Tien despised that phone. But there was something more to her, something just below the surface that danced so tantalizingly out of reach. There was a softness there. A part, a very small part, of her that cared and tried to be a good person. She just either kept it locked away or didn't know how to bring it out. And he couldn't figure out which. She was pretty and funny – especially when she was mad. She could spout off the funniest insults and even though she meant for them to hurt, it was all you could do not to laugh at her. And she was driven and dedicated. Even though she'd had moments where she questioned herself and wanted to give up, once she reconsidered, she was back at it again, working passionately towards that goal. And he had to admire that. She was so complex when you broke her down – why did she seem to simple to everyone else? She'd seemed that way to him at first. Self-centered and spoiled. But now that he was slowly getting to know her, she seemed to be so much more. Dedicated, intelligent, funny, interesting, beautiful…

'AND HALF YOUR AGE,' his mind screamed.

He shook his head. "More than that," he growled to himself.

No, it wasn't her. It was just the idea of someone like her sleeping in his bed. He'd been out here on his own for so long, this was just a foreign concept to him, nothing more. He tucked his arm under his head, lying down more to stare at the hypnotic fire, wanting nothing more than to sleep. But even as he lay there, trying to convince himself that this was all wrong, he couldn't help but see her beaming smile, hear her speak his name, and feel the warm softness of her skin on the backs of his fingers. He covered his face with his free arm and groaned. "Stop it, Tien. You're getting all worked up over nothing," he mumbled into the crook of his elbow.

He dropped his arm to the ground and stared at the fire again. 'It's just because this is different,' he told himself. 'Just go to sleep. You'll see clearer in the morning.'

He stared at that fire longer than he cared to admit before he finally drifted off to sleep and the blissful emptiness of his dreams.


	14. Keeping a Balance

Tien wasn't the only one having trouble from thinking about a woman that night. Piccolo had waited patiently for Jenny to come home in time for dinner, but she didn't show, so he was left to prepare dinner for himself and Paige because Dende and Popo had eaten earlier. Piccolo hated to cook – it wasn't something he did often and he was usually contented to just survive on water alone. But Paige was still half-human and she needed to eat.

He chopped her food and let it cool slightly before he went to her nursery and picked her up to carry her to her high chair. She smiled and hugged his neck then willingly wiggled into her seat. "Yum yums!"

A small smile pulled at Piccolo's mouth and he bent low to kiss her cheek as her little hands grabbed at the pieces of chicken on her tray. He walked back to the nursery and picked up Alice who was wailing with big tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Shhhhh," he soothed, leaning her against his shoulder, gently bouncing her as he returned to the kitchen.

"Hi da!" Paige grinned when he walked in.

He ruffled her curls with his free hand and pulled a bottle from the refrigerator and set it in the warm water on the stove. Alice was still wailing in his ear and he gently patted her on the back. After a few minutes he pulled the bottle out and tested the temperature on the inside of his wrist, then wiped his arm on the leg of his pants and sat down at the table, shifting Alice in his arm and began to feed her. She fell silent immediately, drinking hungrily and staring up at him with wide brown eyes, the same color as her mother's.

Dende entered the kitchen. "You doing okay?" he asked with a slight laugh.

"Fine," Piccolo answered gruffly.

"Day-day!" Paige smiled through her mouth of chicken.

"Oh my," he said, sitting down at the table across from Piccolo. "Smaller bites, Paige."

She grinned and defiantly shoved another piece of chicken in her mouth.

Dende sighed. "That would be your mother shining through."

Piccolo nodded.

"Where is she anyway?" Dende asked. "It's getting late. Is she still at Capsule Corp?"

Piccolo nodded again. "Working on that armor."

Dende hesitated. "You think it's going to work?"

Piccolo shook his head. "No. I did at first, but the longer she works on it, the less hope I have."

Dende frowned. "She thinks she's doing the right thing. Her heart's in the right place. If she can get it to work, it'll be worth it, don't you think?"

"But at what expense," Piccolo answered, staring down at his youngest daughter, who now looked rather sleepy. He continued to watch her until her eyes slowly slid closed and her mouth fell away from the nearly empty bottle. He set the bottle on the table and gently shifted her back up to his shoulder, patting her lightly on the back.

Paige started throwing her food on the floor, yelling, "No mo! No mo!"

Dende sighed. "She's done eating." He quickly slid the tray from Paige's highchair before she could throw any more food on the floor. Paige happily swung her little feet and bounced in her chair, reaching out for Piccolo.

"Just a second," he said softly, standing to take Alice back to her crib. He dimmed the light in the nursery and pressed his lips to Alice's forehead before laying her in the crib and covering her with a little blanket.

Paige toddled into the nursery a few moments later, her face and hands washed clean, and grabbed her dad's pant leg. "Boo?" she asked, pointing to the bookshelf.

He smiled down at her. "Sure."

She grinned and ran across the nursery, tripping over her own feet and fell flat on her stomach. Piccolo cringed, waiting for the crying fit, but Paige determinedly got back to her feet and ran the rest of the way to the bookshelf. She pulled a storybook out and carefully carried it over to Piccolo. He took it from her and sat down in the rocking chair, then reached for Paige and pulled her into his lap.

Piccolo opened the picture book and began to read softly to his daughter as she stared wide-eyed at the detailed watercolor paintings in the book. He rocked slowly back and forth as Paige reached out to touch the pages, smiling in wonder. She helped him turn the page and settled back against his chest, popping her thumb in her mouth.

He couldn't help but smile as he read aloud to her, watching her stare at the book. Every now and then she'd speak a word or two from memory as he read. She was so smart and determined, outspoken even at her age. Just… he sighed… just like her mother.

He finished reading the story and closed the book. Paige grabbed it and slid from his lap to put it back on the shelf. She turned and grinned at him, seeking his approval for being tidy.

He held his arms wide for her and she ran back to him. He scooped her up and hugged her. "Good girl." She pushed back from his shoulder and gave him a big kiss on his cheek.

"Ove you, da," she said.

A knot formed in his throat and he hugged her tightly again. "I love you too, Paige," he whispered to her. He hugged her for a long time before she wiggled back to look at him again.

"Where mama?" Paige asked.

Piccolo frowned. How was he supposed to explain to Paige that the reason she never saw her mother anymore was because her mother was working day and night to try to save the entire planet? Smart as she was, Paige was too little to understand that. But she was definitely old enough to notice that her mother was absent. Piccolo wondered how long Paige would be able to remember this. These days, meals, evenings without her mother.

"She'll be home soon," Piccolo finally answered.

Paige frowned and leaned her head in the crook of Piccolo's neck and shoulder. "Wan mama."

Piccolo took a deep, shuddering breath and looked away from Paige, his lip trembling. It tore at his heart to hear the sadness in his daughter's voice. And there was nothing he could do about it. He held her and rocked her as she sniffled, the tears threatening to fall. "Don't cry," he said softly, nuzzling into her pink curls. "Mama will be home soon."

Paige's little shoulders shook as she took gulping breaths of air, fighting tears. Piccolo felt it and swallowed another knot in his throat. What was that song that Jenny always sang to calm Paige down? He thought for a minute, the words and tune coming to him.

Piccolo had never sang before. He'd taken Jenny dancing plenty of times because she used to insist on silly things like that, but he'd never sang anything, even if there was a song he recognized or occasionally liked. He lowered his head next to Paige's little pointed ear and, his low voice barely above a whisper, sang, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray, you'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away."

Paige's breathing eased and she leaned into the crook of his neck again. He sang it again, rocking her until she fell asleep. He carefully laid her in her bed, then turned the light off and stood in the doorway, his lips pressed to a hard line as he stared at the little cribs, watching his daughters sleeping soundly.

Jenny had first approached Piccolo with the idea of creating enchanted armor shortly after the last battle. She explained her idea – that if she could enchant the Saiyan armor, that it would give them a better defense in the next battle. Fighting their opponents wasn't like fighting Frieza or Cell, opponents who used energy blasts and physical strength to fight. Most of these people were physically weak; their advantage was in drawing too much magickal energy and using it as both a defense and a weapon. If the Z-Fighters could do the same by wearing protective armor and letting the girls use their magick to attack, it could even the odds considerably. Piccolo had agreed, thinking of the dragon's bite, the way the razor-sharp teeth pierced his flesh and crushed his bones then flung him aside like a chew toy. It was a hideous feeling and was something Piccolo most certainly did not want to experience again. He wondered how much the enchanted armor could have protected him against that bite.

But that had been months ago when Jenny took up the project and now she was no closer to figuring it out than she had been the day she started. He was nearly convinced now that there was just no use in her trying anymore. If there was a way to do it, she and Bulma would have figured it out by now.

It was a long time later before Piccolo could feel Jenny's energy approaching. He stayed where he was, still watching the babies sleep, and heard her lightly touch down on the tile outside. It was several minutes later before Jenny found him.

"Hey honey," she greeted him. "How was your day?"

Piccolo shrugged.

She leaned around him to peer into the nursery. "Are the girls okay?" She smiled when she saw them sleeping soundly. "Aw, you got them in bed again. You're so good at this parenting thing."

"One of us has to be," he answered in a low voice.

Jenny felt as if he'd slapped her. "Wh-what?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't play stupid. You know you haven't been around much lately." He turned and walked down the hall towards the kitchen, Jenny nearly running behind him to keep up with his long stride.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she shrieked when they entered the kitchen.

Piccolo went to the sink and began to wash Alice's bottle and the tray from Paige's highchair. "How many nights this week have you been here to put them to bed?"

Jenny blinked, trying to recall. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized she couldn't remember the last time she'd tucked her girls into bed. "Piccolo, I-"

"Exactly," he answered, rinsing the tray and setting it aside. "You're spending your every waking moment with Bulma and Vegeta. I know what you're working on is important to you. But I think you have your priorities all screwed up."

She narrowed her eyes at her back. "You know why I'm doing this. It's to protect you! I don't want to lose you or… or anyone!"

He dried his hands and turned to look at her. "You're already losing us."

Jenny felt like she'd swallowed a block of ice. "Losing you?" Tears brimmed in her eyes and her heart stopped. "You… Are you leaving me? Are you saying you want a divorce?"

Piccolo's eyes went wide. "Don't you _ever _say that word again." The very thought made him feel like his heart was being ripped from his chest.

"Well then what the hell do you mean?!" Jenny asked frantically, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I mean you're losing time with your children that you're not going to be able to get back," he answered. "You're losing time with me that you're not going to be able to get back. You're ignoring your family! You say you love us, but then have no time for us at all. You're wasting your time trying to make that armor work – it's not going to happen, Jenny!"

She refused to hear it. "Yes, it will. There's just something I'm missing! I know I'll figure it out soon!"

Piccolo's shoulders slumped. "See? You're still not listening."

"What?" Jenny demanded. "What am I missing here? You don't want me working on the armor anymore because I'm not giving you attention? Is that what I'm supposed to be hearing? Cause that's coming through loud and clear. But I don't hear you saying, 'Thank you, Jenny, for working so hard to save my life so I don't end up hanging from a dragon's maw again like a goddamn ragdoll!' No, oh no, it's far too beneath you to admit I'm working harder at preparing for this than you are!"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You've spent way too much time with Vegeta. You're starting to sound like him."

"Oh my god," she groaned loudly, rolling her eyes and turning to the refrigerator. She grabbed a Tupperware of leftovers and slammed the door. "So now you have a problem with Vegeta?"

"With you acting like him, yes," Piccolo answered. "He's cold. He's selfish. He's uncaring."

"He cares," Jenny muttered and stuck the bowl in the microwave.

Piccolo snorted.

"He does!" she argued, turning around to face her husband.

"Don't fool yourself," Piccolo said. "He cares about you all being great fighters to prove that he's better than Goku. Nothing more."

"What the hell does this have to do with anything?!" Jenny shouted, angry at Piccolo for speaking about Vegeta that way.

"Because it all has to do with you being distracted from what's supposed to be the most important thing in your life."

"Which is what?" she snapped angrily, yanking the microwave back open and retrieving her dinner. She walked to the table and plopped herself into a chair.

Piccolo stared at her in disbelief. "You don't know what's the most important thing to you?"

Jenny knew. She was too angry to give him the satisfaction of a proper answer. "Nope," she answered, popping her lips dramatically as she spoke. She stared straight ahead at the wall and began to eat her dinner.

Piccolo closed his eyes for a minute and felt one of them twitch. That hurt. He wanted to scream or shake her or… something! He covered his eyes with one hand and leaned against the countertop. His stomach and heart were hurting. He didn't understand how she could be like this, how she could say something so hurtful. He slid his hand down his face to cover his mouth for a moment, not looking at her, and drew a long breath through his nose, shaking his head. He swallowed hard and said, "You let me know when you want to be a wife and mother again. Cause I'm tired of hearing Paige cry for her mommy." And with that, he left the kitchen.

Jenny continued to stare at the wall, her hand shaking, chewing her food harder than was necessary. How dare he. After all the hours she'd put in, working her ass off to protect him and Vegeta and Catie and all the others… He didn't understand how important this was. She'd been useless in the last battle after getting hit by the dragon's tail that subsequently sent her into labor. She was not going to be in the same position twice. Why didn't he understand that? She was doing this for _him. _For her daughters. For everyone. And none of that mattered because Piccolo was… what? Jealous of her spending time away from him? Resentful that he had to be the main parent for a little while so that she could work? Just plain being an asshole because he could?

She shoved her food away, her appetite gone. She leaned her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands. Was Paige really crying for her when she wasn't here? Jenny's heart broke at the thought. And little Alice – she'd hardly spent any time with her. She barely had time to nurse her, except for the rare three o'clock in the morning feeding; most of the time she just prepared bottles and stuck them in the refrigerator for Piccolo to give to the baby.

"You okay?"

"Go away, Dende," Jenny muttered into her hands.

"No," he said simply and sat down beside her. "You look like you could use a friend."

Jenny shrugged and dropped one hand to the table to look at Dende. "Here I go again, screwing everything up."

"You're not screwing anything up," Dende said. "You're just trying too hard. You're trying to do everything for everyone. You're only one person. You can't do that."

Jenny smirked. "It's the mom in me. I just wanna take care of everyone."

Dende sat silently for a moment, considering his words. "Why does this seem to be affecting you worse than anyone else? I mean, I know you were there, but you weren't really in the heat of battle for most of it, from what I understand."

She gave him a fierce look. "That is _exactly _it," she answered in a dangerous tone. "Everyone was fine as long as I was putting up the magick shields. And what happened when I went into labor? PEOPLE GOT HURT."

"That wasn't your fault, Jenny," Dende insisted.

"Oh like hell it wasn't!" she snapped, shoving away from the table. She began to pace the kitchen, looking at the floor gesturing wildly with her hands. "If I had kept putting up those shields, Piccolo wouldn't have been bit by that dragon? Do you _know_, do you have any CONCEPT of how heartbroken I was when I thought MY HUSBAND WAS DEAD?!" She was shouting at the top of her lungs, her hair falling into her wild eyes, "Every time I have to spar with Vegeta I'm face to face with that fucking scar on his leg! I could have stopped that! I could have prevented it! I could have saved them! Vegeta! Piccolo! Leelee…"

"Jenny," Dende said in a soft voice, looking sadly at her.

She whipped around to face him. "Do you have any idea what I see in my dreams?" she asked in a haunting voice. She didn't wait for him to answer. "I see him. Piccolo. Dead, hanging from a dragon's mouth, impaled in its fangs! I can see his lifeless eyes, the blood pouring from his wounds…" Tears were streaming down her face as she spoke. "I see Vegeta being eaten alive and me unable to stop it. Do you have any idea what it's like to hear that man scream in fear? Because I do, even if it's only in my dreams." She stepped closer to Dende, leaning over towards him, her gaze unimaginably intense and her voice dropped even lower. "You know what else I hear? I hear Leelee screaming as she slowly burns to death, Seventeen screaming sobs because he can't get to her. Trunks, Catie, Lindsey, Gohan, Sabriena… I hear them all as they fall in battle, and I am USELESS!"

Jenny's shoulders were shaking violently as she gripped the tabletop. "And I see them taking my babies away! MY BABIES!" She clawed at her chest, just above her heart. "NO ONE can understand that pain or that fear! I live with that EVERY – GOD – DAMN – DAY!"

Jenny fell to the floor, covering her face with her hands, sobbing. Her voice had gone raspy from screaming so loud. She was amazed the girls hadn't woken in their nursery. It was best, anyway. They didn't need to see their mommy like this.

Dende closed his eyes for a moment. "Jenny, it's going to be okay."

She shook her head. "It's never going to be okay," she croaked out. "Because I can't protect my family." She leaned over and slapped the tile floor repeatedly. "I can't save them! Everything that happened was my fault!"

Dende wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault, but it was no use. She wasn't hearing it right now; she was too upset.

Jenny suddenly pushed herself to her feet, sniffling loudly. She pushed her hair out of her face and said, "Sorry, Dende. I didn't mean to blow up on you." And with that she marched out of the kitchen.

* * *

Piccolo didn't have time to react. He heard Jenny walking across the tile of the kitchen, but before he could move she yanked open the door and walked smack into his chest.

"OW!" she yelled, clapping a hand to her nose. She blinked up at what she'd walked into and realized it was Piccolo. "I thought you went to bed."

He was standing there in his red pajama pants and the blue T-shirt he usually slept in. "I was going to, but I heard you talking to Dende."

"Oh." She hadn't even thought about Piccolo overhearing her. Of course he did. He heard everything in that place.

Piccolo crossed his arms and fixed her with a stern gaze. "Why didn't you tell me about any of this?"

"You already know why I'm working on that armor," she answered sourly.

"You didn't tell me you were dreaming about it," he answered.

Jenny shrugged.

Piccolo sighed. "Even if you get that armor to work, it's no guarantee that it will save anyone. When the war comes, any of us could die, Jenny. It's the risk we take."

Tears were flowing again as her shoulders shook with sobs. "Why does it have to be us? I just want us to be normal." She shook her head, staring at her feet, slowly leaning forward until her forehead bumped his crossed arms. "I'm so tired of fighting."

"This is our destiny, whether we like it or not. We can resist it or we can embrace it, but it's not going to change who we are," he answered. "It's not going to change what we are."

She sobbed harder, still leaning against him.

Piccolo lowered his arms and she fell against his chest with a thump. He shook his head and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her away and leaned down a bit to look at her as he spoke, still holding onto her. "Jenny, if the worst were to happen, if we died in battle, how do you want our daughters to remember you? If things keep going the way they are now, they won't remember you at all," he said in a low voice. "You're wasting your time."

"I have to make it work, Piccolo!" she sobbed, scrubbing at her eyes. "I know there's a way to do it."

"And what if it doesn't?" he countered. "What if I die in this war? Don't you want at least a few memories of us spending time together?" His voice was strained as he spoke. "Can't I have some of your time? I miss you. At this point, I don't care about the war because I feel like I've already lost you!"

Jenny choked on a sob at his words and it came out as a strangled scream. "Tell me what to do," she begged miserably. "I just want to protect our loved ones, but not at the cost of making you feel this way. I don't know what to do."

Piccolo took her chin in his strong grasp and forced her to look at him. "We'll figure something out. You can still work on that armor, but you _must _make time for us. Otherwise it's all in vain anyway." He brushed her hair out of her face and continued to stare into her eyes. "I love you, Jenny. Our girls love you. We need you, too. But I can see now why that armor's so important to you. We'll figure out a way to make a schedule for you, okay? I'll help you keep your balance."

"Promise?" she whimpered, looking absolutely miserable.

Piccolo couldn't help thinking she looked cute when she was so vulnerable like that. A small smile pulled at his lips. "I promise."

She threw herself against his chest and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Piccolo," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

He hugged her back, squeezing her tightly, the feel of her in his arms comforting and reassuring. "It's okay. We're okay."

She sobbed again into his shoulder and he held her tighter. "You're not leaving me, right?"

"Never," he promised. "How could I walk away from my other half?"

She clutched at his back. His words seemed to wash over her, calming her. That was all she needed to hear.

"Now, let's get to bed," Piccolo said, finally breaking the hug.

Jenny nodded and they set off down the hall together. Jenny paused at the door to the nursery, which was directly across from her own bedroom.

"Something wrong?" Piccolo asked.

"Can we… Do you think…" Jenny hesitated. "Just for tonight? Can we take them to bed with us?"

Piccolo smiled at his wife. "Sure."

They entered the nursery quietly, Piccolo picking up Alice and Jenny scooping Paige into her arms. She snuggled her little girl, kissing the top of her head.

Paige's soft blue eyes fluttered open. "Mama?"

"Shh," Jenny soothed. "Mommy's here. I'm here."

Paige nuzzled into her mom's neck and patted her on the back. "Ove you, mama."

Jenny had to fight tears again as they crossed the hall to the bedroom. Piccolo laid down on his side, Alice curled up against his chest and Jenny set Paige on the bed. "Go to daddy. Just for a second." She changed into her pajamas as quickly as possible and crawled into bed. She kissed Piccolo and laid on her side to face him, then pulled Paige tight against her and closed her eyes as Piccolo rested his free hand on her waist. He closed his eyes too, both of them quickly drifting off to sleep.


	15. Interruptions

Tien awoke in the early morning sunlight and stretched, trying to remember why he was outside. Something in him jumped when he saw Sabriena's car sitting across the yard and he remembered she was asleep inside his cabin. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes as he got to his feet. He could hear music. He looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. It was coming from inside.

There was a buzzing on the table as he entered the house and the music played for a moment before the song started over again. It was that cursed cell phone of hers, skittering across his tabletop from the vibration. He wanted nothing more than to just throw that stupid thing in the river. The phone went silent as he stared at it and he breathed a sigh of relief. He really wished she didn't get signal out here.

Sabriena had tossed her clothes carelessly onto Tien's chair and he couldn't help but notice the lacy blue bra that hung from the back of his chair. An image of her in it swam in his mind and he shook his head.

"Morning," came a sleepy voice.

Tien jumped and saw Sabriena smiling drowsily at him from the bed. "Get up, you bum," he teased, "You got to sleep in this morning."

"Six a.m. is sleeping in," she yawned and sat up, stretching her arms high over her head. "Never thought I'd see the day." She threw the covers away and got out of bed, stretching one arm behind her back.

The sight of her walking towards him in nothing but his own shirt, her hair stuck out at odd angles, the way the shirt hung from her curves and slipped off her shoulder… Tien shivered and had to turn away from her. "You want some coffee?" he asked in a hurried voice, moving to stoke the fire in the fireplace.

"Suuuuure," she purred, leaning her arms on the table and picking up her phone. She rubbed at her eyes. "I can't see anything."

He turned to her. "Huh? Is there something wrong with your eyes?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Slept with my c-contacts in," she yawned and grabbed for her purse. She rummaged through it and withdrew a tiny bottle.

"I didn't know you wore contacts," he said. "Don't you have glasses you could put on to rest your eyes or something?"

She shook her head as she uncorked the bottle and tipped her head back, holding one eye open with her fingers and dripping the solution into her eye. Tien cringed and made a slight hiss, turning away from her.

"God, that makes my eyes hurt just watching you," he complained, rubbing at his face.

She snickered. "At least my eyes won't feel like sandpaper." She blinked both her eyes repeatedly and put the bottle away. "Oh that's better."

"So when'd you start having to wear contacts?" he asked, standing up and turning around to face her as the coffee brewed behind him.

"Oh, I don't have to wear them," she answered. "They're just cosmetic."

He gave her a disbelieving look. "Then why mess with them? If you don't have to wear them…"

"They make my eyes look pretty," she muttered. "I don't like my eyes."

"They do what?" he asked.

"They make my eyes green!" she answered, crossing her arms huffily.

Tien blinked at her. "I thought your eyes were green." He shook his head again and grabbed the coffee to pour each of them a cup. "Women are so weird."

She snatched her coffee from him and threw herself down in her chair to sip it.

He sighed in exasperation when he went to sit in his chair and had to pick up all her clothes instead. He set them on the table and sat down to drink his coffee. "These are yours," he said, sliding them across the table, a slight blush across his nose.

"Thanks," she muttered and picked up her phone. "Ah, crap!"

"Something wrong?" he asked in a disinterested voice.

"Yeah, I missed a call," she said, sliding her fingers across the screen and pressing the phone to her ear. She pressed a finger to her lips at Tien.

"I didn't say anything," he whispered.

"Hey baby," she crooned softly into the phone. Her eyes went wide. "I know. Sorry, I fell asleep last night. I meant to call you… I'm sorry! I… I got to sleep in this morning, that's why I hadn't called you yet."

Tien continued to sip his coffee, trying not to eaves drop, but that was nearly impossible. Even trying to ignore the things she said wasn't possible. There was no other noise for him to focus on.

"No, I'm not done," she huffed, sitting back and grabbing her coffee. "I'll be back when I'm done…. A few more weeks at best…. Well, I'm sorry. This is something I have to do. It's important to me…" She sighed. "No, it's not… Don't start that again. Tumbler, no!... Stoppit… Fiiiiine. FINE! I'll come see you soon… Like, end of the week, okay? It'll be okay. You're gonna be okay, baby."

Tien sat up a little straighter and stared at her. End of the week? She was leaving at the end of the week? He felt a clenching in his stomach and his heart rate sped up. There was still so much to do! She was nowhere near being ready – their training had just started. He narrowed his eyes at her as she ducked down by the table, her voice soft and rushed as she spoke.

"Okay. Okay… Me too. I'll call you when you get up in the morning… Bye." She sat up straight and tossed her phone on the table, frowning at it.

"How's the boyfriend?" Tien asked in a snarky tone.

"He's not my boyfriend," Sabriena snapped.

"Didn't sound like that to me," Tien said into his coffee cup. "So you're leaving at the end of the week, huh?"

"Eaves drop much?" she asked, snatching her cup off the table and finishing it. She popped it back down.

"Kind'a hard not to hear it," he muttered, looking down at his cup. He looked up suddenly, his gaze intense. "So you leaving or not? Because if you are, I'm not wasting any more time with you."

She scoffed. "I'm not leaving! I just said that to shut him up."

A wave of relief washed over Tien before it was replaced by outrage. "How can you make a promise like that when you have no intention of keeping it?"

"I fail to see how any of this is your business!" she snapped.

"It is if it affects your training!" he shot back.

She was breathing hard as she stared at him. It wasn't any business of his what she did or said with her ex. He may have been an untrustworthy, lying bastard, but there was part of her that was afraid of what he might do, to himself, to someone she cared about. She didn't want to see him end his life. And she didn't want to explain all of this to Tien. But his fierce eyes told her she wasn't getting out of that cabin without an explanation. She sighed heavily. "Look. He's… upset."

Tien simply stared, waiting for her to continue.

That drove her nuts. He could say so much without uttering a single word. "He's upset that I left. He said… well, let's just say if he thinks I'm not coming back, he's going to do something stupid."

"He threaten to hurt you?" Tien asked. There was that anger bubbling up in his chest again at the thought of a man putting his hands on a woman. Sparring like he and Sabriena did was one thing – it was a mutual agreement, a way of teaching her to defend herself. Leaving marks on her in a moment of anger was a completely different issue.

She shook her head and looked at her hands in her lap. "Himself," she whispered.

"Oh for crying out…" Tien had to suppress the urge to laugh. "He's playing you. It's a tactic to get you to come back to him. You're smarter than that, Sabriena."

"I heard him rack the gun!" she insisted. "If he thinks I'm not coming back, they're gonna be scraping his brains off the ceiling!"

"And how is that your problem?" Tien asked. "Are you still with this guy or not?"

"NO!" she cried. "But that doesn't mean I want to see him take his life! I don't want that kind of blood on my hands."

Tien went quiet for a moment, watching her. She seemed sincere in the way she wanted to prevent this guy from hurting himself. Tien just wasn't sure if she was going about it the right way. "Leading him on will only make it worse down the road," he warned.

"I'm not trying to lead him on," she argued. "I'm trying to let him down softly."

"You really think he'd kill himself?" Tien asked, willing his voice to sound kinder than he felt.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I thought I knew him better than this…"

"You're really worried about him, aren't you?"

She nodded. Tien shook his head and looked away from her. He understood now what she was trying to do. Even if she wasn't with this guy anymore, she had a loyalty to him. And he had to give her credit for that. If Launch was in trouble, wouldn't he still do anything he could to help her? He knew the answer was yes. If nothing else, for the simple fact that he didn't want to see anyone get hurt.

"Come on," Tien said, getting to his feet. "We have chores to do."

Sabriena got up from the table, grumbling and almost walked out the door. "Uh, I should put on some clothes," she said.

Tien paused and blushed again. "Uh, yeah, probably so," he agreed and hurried out the door.

"What is taking her so long?" Tien growled as he filled yet another bucket of water in the river and carried it up to the garden. He'd watered more than half of it already. Sabriena finally rounded the corner of the cabin, sliding her phone into her pocket. "About time," Tien growled.

"Hey, this takes work," she said, circling her face with her finger.

"So does talking on that phone," he grumbled, slowly pouring the water into the garden. "Get your bucket. I've done my part."

Sabriena huffed and grabbed up the buckets sitting on the ground. "First thing in the morning," she complained and started for the river.

"You better run, girl!" Tien hollered after her and turned his bucket over to sit and watch for a minute. He'd help her again, but for the moment, he was going to enjoy watching her do the work.

She filled the buckets quickly and flew back up to the cabin, carefully holding the buckets so as to not spill a drop, then took up watering the barren rows where Tien had left off. "You could help, you know," she growled.

"Hey!" he said, throwing his arms wide, "I did my part!"

She glowered at him for a moment before heading back down to the river. She paused when she got there, feeling the phone vibrate in her pocket. She sighed and looked at it – Tumbler was calling again.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," she hissed, trying to hide the phone from Tien's view as she filled a bucket.

"I can't sleep without you here," he said groggily.

"Dammit, Tumbler, I'm busy right now. My teacher's gonna kill me if he sees me on the phone again."

"Fuck that guy. He sounds like a dick."

"He's not so bad," she muttered.

Tumbler snorted. "I don't know what the hell he's teaching you that so damn important."

"Don't worry about it. Just try to get some sleep, would you?" she scolded softly, filling the second bucket.

"Fine. Be my alarm clock in the morning?"

"Sure. I gotta go."

"That's my girl. Love you."

Sabriena hung up the phone and slid it back in her pocket, then rose slightly into the air to fly back up to the garden.

Tien looked irritated as she touched down, his arms across his chest. She wondered if he saw her talking on the phone and avoided meeting his eyes as she poured the water on the ground again. He didn't say anything, but his expression said more than words ever could. She ran as fast as she could back to the river, glad to put a bit of space between herself and him for a moment.

Tien didn't like sitting there while she worked, but it was good for her. Increasing her running speed, her endurance, the extra weight of the water while flying, paying attention to her balance while not spilling the water. It killed him to sit and watch; that's why he liked for them to do it together. He'd thought about helping her out so that they wouldn't waste time, but he had already done more than half of the garden and this was teaching him patience just as much as it was teaching her anything. He snickered to himself. If nothing else came of this, he would learn to be a very patient person by the time he was done teaching her.

She was taking too long to return every time she came back from the river. He knew she was talking on that phone or clicking out messages on it – whatever it was those stupid things did. The only reason he could see having one would be in an emergency and even then, he wasn't sure they were entirely necessary. Just an annoying distraction from life as far as he was concerned.

She finally dumped the last bucket of water on a pumpkin hill and dropped the buckets to the ground. "Done," she panted. She was covered in sweat and breathing heavily as she wiped her wrist across her forehead.

"Get a drink," he said, getting to his feet and putting his bucket where it belonged. "And put those buckets away."

She groaned and picked them up, slamming one inside the other and set them next to his.

"Do you have to slam everything?" he scolded.

"Do you have to criticize everything I do?" she shot back, grabbing a canteen and drinking deeply from it. "God, I feel so dirty."

"Come on," Tien said, ignoring her complaining. "We have more wood to chop."

"UUUUGGGHHH!" she groaned and fell into step behind him. Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she grabbed it. Tumbler had text her again, saying how lonely he was. She quickly text him back, telling him to go to sleep.

Tien could hear her nails clicking against the screen and had to draw a deep breath to calm his temper. "Put it away."

Sabriena felt her face go hot as she quickly slid the phone back in her pocket. She had barely grabbed the axe when it went off again. She kept her back to Tien and peeked at the phone. Her eyes went wide at the dirty text; Tumbler was describing in great detail just what he would do to her if she was in bed with him. She quickly typed "wow" and sent it back before shoving the phone in her pocket. She turned to see Tien still had his back to her, picking up logs for splitting. He set one on the stump and stepped back. She brought the axe expertly through the air, splitting the log in half. Tien set another on the stump and she hit it again. It was a rhythm they'd worked themselves into. They'd go until her shoulders ached and then he would take over and let her set the logs in place while he split them. She was slowly starting to go faster, longer, with every day that they worked.

He was just thinking about how he was proud of her building stamina when she paused and looked at her phone again.

"Sabriena!" he barked. "Put it away! You're wasting time!"

She huffed and swung the axe again.

"Why do you have to have that thing anyway?" he asked, setting another log down.

She shrugged.

"Would it kill you to go without it for a day?" he asked. "Would your whole world fall apart if you missed one call?"

"It might," she answered sarcastically.

He shook his head. He seemed to be doing that a LOT lately.

"You're gonna get whiplash if you keep shaking your head at me," she said, bringing the axe down.

"It'll be your fault," he answered, snickering lightly.

Sabriena rolled her eyes. "Yes. Everything since the crucifixion is my fault."

Her phone vibrated again and she reached for it.

"Put. It. Away," Tien said sternly.

"I don't even have it out!" she retorted.

Tien crossed his arms, staring at her as she seemed to squirm. It was killing her to not answer the text. His eyes dared her to answer it.

"What if it's something important?" she squeaked. "I don't know that every message or call is going to be from… from the same person!"

"You mean from him?" Tien asked.

"It could be Jenny! Or Lindsey! You never know!"

Tien set his jaw. "Well find out then." He knew who it was. He could feel himself getting more and more agitated with every passing minute. This had to stop. Surely that thing would run out of battery soon.

Sabriena's eyes nearly popped out of her skull when she answered the phone. "Oh dear god," she breathed at the phone.

"Emergency?" Tien asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Most definitely not," she mumbled, typing out a message on her phone. She did NOT need pictures of Tumbler like that. Especially not now, not when she was with her teacher, trying to chop wood and she didn't feel sexy in the slightest.

"Now, put it away and leave it," he ordered. "I'm not kidding."

"Okay," she said quietly, making him blink in surprise. She wasn't even trying to argue this time.

He cleared his throat, the quietness of her response still shocking him. Something was wrong. Her face was bright red and she looked a little dazed. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's just… ah… being stupid. No big deal," she answered, pushing a few stray pieces of hair from her face. She picked the axe back up and looked at Tien expectantly as he stared back at her. "Uh, Tien? Log?"

He jumped. "Oh! Yeah," he grabbed another piece of wood and set it on the stump.

They had barely gone through three more logs before the phone went off again. This time, she ignored it. Tien smiled slightly to himself. 'Good girl,' he thought. But a few moments later, the phone vibrated again. And again. She looked more distracted every time and she finally missed a log completely when the music started going off in her pocket.

"I thought I put everything on vibrate!" she cried and grabbed her phone. Tumbler was calling again.

"If you don't turn that thing off…" Tien warned.

She glared at him and slid her thumb across the screen. Her eyes were fierce as she slowly raised the phone to her ear.

"Hang it up," Tien said, his voice still low.

She had the phone to her ear and barely had a chance to say "hey" before Tien had snatched the phone out of her hand and pressed it to his own ear.

"Hey sexy," Tumbler's voice came through.

"She's busy," Tien said sternly.

"Who the fuck is this?"

"I'm her teacher," Tien answered, looking down at Sabriena, who looked shocked and furious. "She doesn't have time to talk to you right now."

"Ah, I think she does," Tumbler replied cockily. "She's always got time for me."

"Not now she doesn't." Tien leaned away from Sabriena, who was reaching for her phone, slapping at his arm. "Don't call when you know she's training."

"Training? For what?"

"She didn't tell you?" Tien asked, taking a step back from Sabriena. "Get off me, girl." Tien grunted as he shoved back at her with his elbow and she gave a soft cry as she almost lost her balance.

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Put that bitch back on the phone."

"Excuse me?" Tien asked loudly, the anger rising in his voice. "I don't think I heard you right."

"Put… That bitch… Back… On the phone," Tumbler repeated slowly and loudly. "You deaf, motherfucker?"

If Tien could've reached through that phone, he would've strangled the jerk on the other end.

"Tien!" Sabriena whined, "Give it to me!" She reached for the phone again.

Tumbler's voice shook with anger as he spoke again. "You fuckin' my ol' lady? I will murder you in your sleep, fucker."

"What?!" Tien cried. "You're nuts. I haven't put a hand on her!"

"I can hear you both, you know," Tumbler hissed. "I'mma fuck you both up. Japan ain't that far."

"I'd like to see you try!" Tien shot back. "And you watch your mouth when you speak to me. I'm not some punk kid like you and your buddies back in the states. I don't put up with people like you."

"I don't give a shit who you are, old man," Tumbler growled. "Your ass is mine if I ever see you."

"Don't call her again," Tien warned. He shoved the phone back at Sabriena and went over to pick up the axe. He started chopping the wood by himself, driving the axe into the stump with much more force than was necessary.

"I'll call her if I want, you stupid son of a bitch! She's MY bitch and don't you forget it!" Tumbler's voice cried as Sabriena pressed the phone to her ear.

"Tumbler," Sabriena whined.

"You fuckin' him?!" Tumbler shouted so loud Sabriena had to pull the phone away from her ear. "All that bullshit about you coming home was a lie, wasn't it? You're not doing anything but running around over there like a cheap whore!"

"No, I'm not!" she protested.

"Whatever," Tumbler muttered, dropping his voice to sound sad again. "I see how it is now. I hope you're happy, Subbie. You'll be happier without me in your life."

She closed her eyes. "Don't do this," she whispered. "Please."

Tien tensed at the sadness he heard in her voice. It killed him. That jerk was making empty threats again and messing with her head. She would never be able to focus if this didn't stop. If he'd been less of a person, he'd have gladly gone back to the states and beat the hell out of this guy for speaking about Sabriena the way he did. But that wouldn't solve the problem and then Tien would be the bad guy. He slammed the axe through another log.

"You won't hear from me again," Tumbler said in a hollow voice. "Goodbye, Subbie."

"Tumbler," she whined. "Tumbler?" There was no answer. "JASON?!" He had hung up. She tried calling him back, but it went immediately to his voicemail. He'd turned his phone off. She clutched at her hair and screamed.

Tien spun around at the sound. It shook him to his core to hear such a sound from her mouth.

"I gotta go," she said, heading for the cabin door.

Tien dropped the axe and ran in front of her. "What happened?"

"He thinks I'm screwing you!" she shouted. "Thanks a lot, Tien! Now he's gonna blow his brains out before I can even get to him!" She looked panicked.

"Sabriena, stop!" Tien yelled, grabbing her by the upper arms. "He's not going to do that. He's trying to trick you."

She shook her head. "You don't know that! If he kills himself, it's all my fault!" Her eyes were wild with worry. "I… I could call Goku," she breathed, grabbing her phone. "He can take me there right now!"

Tien closed his hand over hers, stopping her. "Don't bring Goku into this. Your… boyfriend… isn't going to kill himself."

"I have to make sure!"

"He's manipulating you!" Tien cried. "Can't you see that?! He's in your head, distracting you from what's important! You're giving him exactly what he wants!"

Her lips were pressed to a thin line, her chin trembling. "I will not let him die again!" She wrenched herself away from Tien, her hair falling into her eyes again, more of it coming loose from her ponytail. She marched towards her car.

"Sabriena! If you leave, you are not welcome back here!" Tien barked. "Our training will be finished for good. You hear me?"

She froze in her tracks.

"Is this important to you or not? Listen to your heart – you KNOW he's manipulating you. You know he's lying! He's not going to hurt himself. But if you go back there, you're going to get hurt again. You KNOW that. Why are you letting him do this to you? I thought you were stronger than this!" Tien couldn't ignore the disappointment he felt. It was like two steps forward, one step back with her. "I mean it! You leave and we are DONE!"

Sabriena swallowed the knot in her throat. She looked at the phone in her shaking hand. Could he be right? Was Tumbler simply using this as a ploy to get her to come back? She knew he was a liar and would do anything to get what he wanted. He cared little for the affect he had on others as long as he had his way. In all honesty, this is just the type of thing he'd do. She exhaled slowly, frustration flooding through her. She was a fool. He really was manipulating her and she fell for it hook, line, and sinker. She wanted to cry. How had she been so in love with this man who obviously cared so little for her? She wasn't his girlfriend – she was something he viewed as property, something to flaunt, something to fuck… nothing more. He was just like all the others.

"Make up your mind," Tien barked. "I have things to do."

Sabriena turned her phone off and slid it back in her pocket. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her expression vicious.

Tien drew a long breath through his nose as he waited for her response. She suddenly spun on her heel and rose into the air, flying at him. He barely had time to throw his arm up to block her kick with his forearm. She unleashed a torrent of kicks and punches, all of them precise and forceful. He spun and knocked his arm against her ribs, throwing her across the yard. She jumped back up and rushed him again.

"Atta girl," Tien muttered and dropped into a defensive stance, prepared for her attack, smiling to himself.

She was staying.

* * *

Tien was tired and sore by the time he made it back into his cabin. He and Sabriena had spent the entire afternoon sparring again. She was getting better. And she was quick. Her small frame let her whip through the air with an incredible speed that kept him on his toes. He walked to his wardrobe and poured some water into the basin sitting there and scrubbed his face and hands. He stared at his reflection for a moment, the water dripping from his chin and he wiped it on his arm. "What are you doing?" he asked his reflection. "She's gonna be the death of you."

He smiled in spite of himself. It was nice to have someone to spar with again. He could train on his own just fine, but having someone to compete against, to make you think on your toes… It was like adding an extra layer to his training. It stimulated his mind, made him think and anticipate an opponent's next move. And that was one thing she was spectacular at – she changed things up so quick it was hard to track her. He wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but it worked. He was afraid to mention it to her. He didn't want her to over think it.

He peeled his clothes off and tossed them in the wicker basket sitting on the floor. He blew out the oil lamp on the table as he passed it and crawled into bed. The old worn sheets were cool and soothing as he relaxed deeply into the soft mattress. He rolled to the side, pulling the quilt up over his shoulder and laid his head on the squashy pillow. He breathed deeply, just about to fall asleep, when an unfamiliar scent hit his nose. He sat up and looked around the dark cabin, drawing deep breaths through his nose, but he couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from. It didn't hit him until he laid back down – it was his pillow. He pressed his face to it and smelled again. It smelled like honeysuckle and warm spices. It… it smelled like her. That unfamiliar longing roared in his chest again. What was the matter with him?! She was more than what he was willing to put up with. In her good moments, she was fantastic to be around. But then there were days like today that just wore him thin. If he could just break through that coldness that she put up, that stubbornness, make her see how little material things were really worth, maybe… maybe it could work?

He shook his head and rubbed at his face again. It was crazy. There was no way. They were far too different. He'd spent too much time with her, that was all. And it had been too long since he'd been with anyone. His mind was playing tricks on him. He rolled flat on his back again and stared at the ceiling. He didn't want a romance. He didn't need one. Women were more trouble than they were worth, he told himself. But that longing still pulled at his heart as he laid there and he couldn't stop thinking that his bed suddenly felt incredibly empty.


	16. Tease

"Uh, what exactly are we doing?" Sabriena asked, following Tien into the woods. It was a beautiful mid-April morning. The air was warm and full of the sounds of singing birds. Flowers were blooming underfoot and along the vines that grew up the old oak trees.

"Foraging," Tien answered, walking lightly through the trees.

"Foraging in white pants?" Sabriena snickered, "You're a brave soul."

Tien glanced down at his bright white pants and his dark blue shirt. "Maybe this wasn't the best choice," he said thoughtfully. "Ah well. It'll wash."

Sabriena rolled her eyes as she thought about Tien's way of doing laundry. A bar of soap, a washboard and a big metal tub of water. She'd teased him about being part of Little House on the Prairie when she saw him doing his laundry for the first time. He'd looked at her like she was nuts and she muttered that it was an American thing.

Tien stopped at a thorny bush and looked at the berries on it. "See? Breakfast. Right here, provided by nature."

Sabriena peered at the dark colored berries. "Oooo! Blackberries!" she crooned and reached for one. She popped it in her mouth and closed her eyes as she chewed slowly and moaned.

Tien smiled. "Good, huh?"

Sabriena nodded as he picked one for himself. "Oh my god, it tastes so fresh," she gasped, grabbing another and snapping it off the thin branch.

"Get that basket," he said as he chewed. He swallowed. "Don't pick them all. Just enough for a day or two."

"Yeah, but I think we could eat them all in that amount of time!" she laughed, plucking the berries and dropping them into the basket he'd given her.

Tien wandered farther into the thick foliage, looking hard at the bases of the trees. He smiled and dropped to a knee. "Sabriena, c'mere."

She trotted over to him and leaned over his shoulder. She gasped, "Are those what I think they are?"

"Matsutake mushrooms," he answered, looking over his shoulder at her. "You've had them before?"

She shook her head wildly. "Those things are crazy expensive and super hard to come by!" She was leaning hard over his shoulder, staring excitedly at them. "I've always wanted try cooking with them!"

"There's plenty of them out here," Tien smiled, brushing the dirt away from one.

"I thought they only grew in the fall?" she asked breathlessly as she watched him gently pull the mushroom loose.

"Everywhere but here," he answered. "They grow in this forest almost year round, except for when the ground freezes."

"Like magick," she whispered as she accepted the mushroom from him and placed it carefully into a second basket.

"Magick mushrooms?" he asked with a slight laugh.

She giggled. "Magick mushrooms." She paused, then threw her head back laughing, "Oh, we'd better not call them that! People will think we're out here trippin' balls!"

Tien snorted with laughter and rubbed his face. "Trippin'… I can't believe you just said that…"

She leaned against his shoulder and laughed again. "Sorry! Sorry!" She calmed herself and waved a hand at her face. "Oh… I couldn't help it."

"Did you see how to harvest it?" Tien asked, working on a second one as he recovered from laughter. "Rotate it in a circle until it comes loose, don't twist or pull it."

She dropped to her knees beside him and watched intently. "Is there a special reason you do it like that?" she asked, her nose mere inches from his hand.

"You can damage them if you twist," he answered, the second mushroom popping free from the ground.

"I am going to cook you the best dinner ever tonight," she grinned.

"Oh yeah?" he asked. "You're finally going to cook for me?"

"Hey, I made you jerky!"

"I guess that counts," he smiled.

"And if you'd ever get me my chickens…" she drawled.

"I have the stuff to make a coop," he said. "We just haven't gotten around to it yet."

"Well maybe we should," she said, reaching down and carefully gathering another mushroom just the way he'd showed her.

"We can start on it when we get back," he offered.

"Really?" she grinned, her eyes dancing. "Oh, you wait! Once I take over the cooking, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven!"

"Yeah, still waiting on that," he muttered. "You keep bragging about your cooking, but you still haven't done it."

"Fine," she huffed. "I'll cook tonight. Deer steak and mushrooms?"

He nodded and stood up. "Works for me."

"Where are you going?" she asked. "There's more here."

"Those are too young," he answered. "Come on, there's bound to be more nearby."

She hesitantly stood and left the tree, carrying her baskets with her. She began to search the roots of every tree she passed by, excitedly looking for more of the rare, highly prized mushrooms.

The air was cool and still in the forest, scented with pine and soil and wild flowers. Everything was lush and green again. Sabriena couldn't stop thinking about how incredibly beautiful it all was. She'd never really paid much attention to things like that before. She'd always been more of an indoors person. Her eyes scanned the base of another tree and widened in excitement. "TIEN!" she called, waving him over. "I found more!"

"Good job, girl," he smiled and dropped to the ground again as they both picked as many of the matured mushroom as they could find.

Sabriena stood again and stretched, admiring the large amount of mushrooms in her basket.

"That's a pretty good haul," Tien said appreciatively. "Come on. There's some wild onions growing over there."

Sabriena wasn't paying attention. She was looking at a patch of wild flowers growing in a large swath of sunlight between the trees. She giggled to herself and picked some, weaving them into her hair. They were beautiful – all shades of yellow and pink and blue and purple. It wasn't long before her hair was heavy with flowers and she spun around to show Tien. He had moved on further and was bent over, pulling green onions from the earth and setting them in the basket with the mushrooms. She picked a large white daisy and walked over to him.

"I have something for you," Sabriena sing-songed, her hands behind her back.

Tien turned and looked at her. "You do?" he blinked.

She held out the wild flower for him to see for a second before she tucked it behind his ear. She cupped his face in her hands, "Don't you look so pretty?!"

Tien blushed and laughed, "You are so gonna get it!"

Sabriena turned on her heel and ran through the trees, screaming at the top of her lungs. Tien stood and thought about chasing her, but he felt he couldn't move. She grinned over her shoulder at him briefly as she ran, her long blonde hair flying behind her, the wildflowers bouncing in the soft waves. She disappeared through the trees and he had to close his eyes for a minute to calm his nerves. He reached up and grabbed the flower she'd tucked behind his ear and laughed lightly at it. He dropped it in the basket with the berries, then bent down again to finish gathering the onions.

Sabriena slowed her running to a gentle trot, looking around. She was further up the mountain than she'd ever been before. The trees gave way to a flat outcrop of rock in the side of the mountain. She carefully walked out onto the sheet of rock, looking at the breathtaking view of the valley below. She could see the river that was upstream from their cabin and the second mountain ridge beyond. Everything was green and bright, the late morning sun warmed her skin as she stood at the edge of the cliff, the warm breeze blowing through her hair. She felt one of the flowers drift from her hair and she spun around to watch it.

A cave in the side of the mountain caught her eye. She walked towards it, hearing the drip of water inside, and it made her wonder what sort of beautiful rock formations could be inside. "Tien!" she called. "Come here!"

* * *

Tien brushed the dirt from his fingers and looked around. "Sabriena?" he called. There was no answer, no sign of her. "Darn it," he growled. She'd wandered off, apparently out of earshot. "Sabriena?" he called again, louder this time as he started to walk in the direction he'd last seen her. His eyesight was far above average, but it did little to help him see her through the thick growth of the forest. Here and there he could see the print of her sneaker, a twig snapped on a tree as she pushed by… Good lord, she was easy to track. He was going to have to teach her about that.

Tien wasn't really worried until he heard her scream. A bloodcurdling, fearful sound that turned his blood to ice. He tore out through the trees, searching for her energy signal, following the sound. And then another sound hit his ears – a deafening roar that was unmistakable. He knew that sound all too well and the animal that made it – his cloak was made from the pelt of one. Tien raced through the trees and stumbled out onto a huge sheet of rock, the scene before him making his heart stop.

Sabriena was cowering at the edge of the cliff, her sneakers threatening to slip from the edge at any given second as the huge black bear towered over her. He saw the cubs watching curiously from the mouth of the cave – Sabriena must have stumbled upon them. Great. Leave it to her to irritate a mother bear with cubs.

"Hey! Over here!" Tien bellowed, waving his arms above his head.

The bear turned her dark eyes briefly upon Tien before turning back to Sabriena. He had no choice; Tien ran forward and put himself in the small amount of space between Sabriena and the bear. He could see the huge white patch across her chest as she stood on her hind legs and roared her displeasure. Normally, he would've killed the bear and considered the day a good hunt. But this one had cubs and he knew that if he killed her, the young didn't stand a chance. Not that he was sentimental, but it would throw off the balance of nature. Killing a mother with young was wrong and did more damage to the forest than good. He was going to have to get her to back off without hurting her, and without getting bit himself. His senses were singing with adrenaline. He supposed he could've grabbed Sabriena and flown far out of the bear's reach, but where was the challenge in that? He could feel that competitiveness bubbling up inside him, the need to test himself, his body, his mind against a new and exciting challenger. And, hey, so maybe he got to play the hero for a minute.

Sabriena stared in shock and horror as Tien threw himself protectively in front of her. She was trembling from head to toe as she pushed herself into a semi-sitting position, watching Tien as he defended himself from the bear that had swung its massive paw at him. He threw up his arms and blocked it, shoving the bear back.

"Sabriena, RUN!" Tien commanded.

Sabriena scrambled to her feet and skirted around Tien and the bear, and ran as hard as she could, disappearing into the tree line. She only ran a short way in before she tripped and fell flat on her face, sobbing into the soft mossy floor of the forest. She could hear Tien's shouting and the bear roaring behind her. "Protect him," she whispered into the ground, tears flowing from her eyes. "He saved me… Please save him…"

She heard the bear scream once more and everything went silent. She jumped to her feet, wiping the tears away and took a cautious step forward. "Tien?"

He appeared around the edge of a tree, grinning cockily at her. "You weren't worried about me, were you?"

"Oh!" she gasped in relief and flung herself at him, jumping up to wrap her arms around his neck.

Tien jumped in surprise at her sudden embrace. He hugged her back, holding her off the forest floor. "Sabriena, you're shaking."

"I was so scared!" she cried, her voice shaking as badly as the rest of her. She clung to his neck, her adrenaline wearing off even more, making her shudder over and over as the fear ripped through her.

"Hey, calm down," he said in a soothing voice. "You're okay. I'm okay. Nothing's gonna hurt you."

"I… I didn't do anything!" she protested. "I just looked in the cave! I didn't bother that stupid thing!"

"Asian Black Bear," Tien explained, "They're aggressive anyway. And that one had cubs. She would've attacked anyone. You can't blame her for protecting her young."

"Can we just go home?" she whispered. "Please?"

Tien nodded and set her back on the ground. "Come on, girl. Let's get home."

* * *

"It's okay to cry, you know," Tien said as they walked into his cabin. She'd been quiet the whole way back, her arms wrapped around herself, jumping at every snap of a twig or bolt of a rabbit.

She shook her head and sat down in her chair at the table, letting out a heave of relief. "I was so scared," she whispered again.

Tien poured her a cup of cool water from a canteen and handed it to her, crouching down next to her chair. "You don't have to be scared now," he said gently. "We're home. Now come on. Didn't you say you wanted to work on your chicken coop today?"

She shrugged. "I didn't mean to wander off. I just… the forest was so pretty…"

This was awkward. He wasn't entirely sure he liked apologetic Sabriena. "You don't have to say sorry," he told her.

"Okay," she said softly. "But I do have to say thank you." She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck again, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Tien."

There it was again. That longing pulling deep in his chest. But this time, instead of a roaring feeling, it seemed to purr. He fought the urge to shudder as he hugged her back briefly and then stood up. "So? Whaddya say? You want to start on your chicken coop?"

She drew a deep breath to calm herself. "Sure. Just… keep the bears away."

Tien laughed. "There's no bears down here," he answered with a playful smirk. "They know better."

She laughed and headed for the door. "You're so silly."

The rest of their day went entirely bear-free as they set the posts for the new coop, Sabriena's mood improving greatly as they worked. She kept sneaking the carpenter's pencil from Tien, making him look for it in frustration as she giggled and once or twice she whapped him on the butt with a board when he was bent over working on something. He'd jump and blush furiously, telling her to knock it off, but was unable to say it with a straight face.

"It's getting dark," Tien said, starting to put their supplies away. "You gonna make me dinner tonight or what?"

Sabriena nodded. "Sure. There's meat in the cellar, right?"

"Yup," he answered.

She trotted over and pulled up the heavy door, barely able to see in the waning light. She grabbed the meat that was suspended from the ceiling and looked around. Her eyes fell on a small crate of dust-covered bottles in the corner. "He has wine?" she asked herself, grabbing one. "Oh, this is going to be the best dinner ever." She trotted back up the stairs and kicked the door shut behind her. "Hey, Tien! Is this something special or can I cook with it?" she asked, holding up the dirty bottle.

"Nah, go for it," he answered, gathering up the lumber they'd use to finish the coop the next day.

"Eeeeeeee!" she squealed and ran around the edge of the cabin and disappeared inside.

* * *

Tien couldn't believe the smell that hit him as he entered the cabin. The rich, decadent smell of perfectly seared venison, mixed with the earthy scent of the mushrooms made his mouth water. "Girl, if that tastes half as good as it smells…"

Sabriena grinned widely at him. "Well, sit down and find out," she said, pouring some of the wine into a tin cup and setting it down by his plate. "I used some of this to make the mushroom sauce, but I had some left over."

"Wow, this looks good, too," he said, admiring the plate. She'd arranged the food perfectly on it – if it had been on a nicer plate, it could've been in one of those cooking magazines.

"School," she shrugged. "You eat with your eyes first, they say." She sat back in her chair, waiting for him to take the first bite.

Tien couldn't stop the moan in his throat as the first savory bite hit his tongue. It made his mouth water so much, it felt like his jaw might lock up. "Oh my god, Sabriena," he growled, chewing slowly.

She smirked proudly at him. "Everyone always underestimates Sabriena."

He shook his head fiercely. "Not anymore. I'll believe anything you say." He hungrily took another bite, his reaction almost as strong as the first.

"C'mon," she grinned, "admit it. It's like an orgasm in your mouth."

Tien choked and had to reach for his cup of wine. He managed to swallow everything down. "Man, I never know what's going to come out of your mouth."

Sabriena finally cut her first bite, scraping her teeth on her fork. "I entertain you and you know it."

He snorted softly. "I'll give you that much." He couldn't get enough of her food. He was starving for it, but he wanted to make it last. She'd made plenty and piled his plate high. It was just that damn good. "You staying the night tonight?" he asked casually.

Sabriena had been staying over on and off for the past week. "I think I've had enough of the woods for one day," she answered. "Besides, I don't want you sleeping outside with those bears."

"Oh for crying out loud," Tien huffed. "The bears aren't coming all the way down here."

"Yeah, that's what you think until you wake up and there's a bear eating your face!"

He laughed, pressing his fist to his lips, trying not to choke on his food again. "You're a mess."

"I know," she giggled. She shoved her plate away from her. "Oh, I'm so full." She stood and slung her purse over her shoulder.

"You leaving already?" Tien asked.

Sabriena nodded and yawned. "I'm sorry. My nerves are all kind'a… hurr durr right now," she said, making a weird face. "I'll be back first thing in the morning."

"Ah, I don't blame you," Tien muttered. "I'll probably go to bed early, too. My neck's killing me."

"That's what you get for fighting a bear with nothing but your hands," she said, stepping around the table to him.

"It was that or let you get eaten," he muttered. He jumped when he felt her soft hands on his shoulders, her thumbs rubbing at his neck.

"You're so twitchy," she scolded. She squeezed his shoulders, her thumbs twirling in circles along his neck.

Tien's eyes fluttered shut in spite of himself. He'd been tense when he had rescued her from the bear, and then he spent most of the afternoon, bent over digging postholes and sawing lumber. Her touch seemed to make him melt from the inside – it had been a very long time since anyone had given him a backrub.

She stopped abruptly and slapped his bicep a couple times with her hand. "All right. See you in the morning." And she hurried across the cabin to disappear out the door without saying goodbye, just like she always did.

Tien slumped forward, leaning his head on his arms, and grumbled a single word. "Tease."


	17. Fears

Sabriena wandered through Capsule Corporation, stretching and thinking of nothing more than a hot shower and a warm bed, despite the fact that it was still light outside. The days were slowly getting longer and the weather was already considerably warm. She went to grab a drink from the kitchen when she noticed everyone out in the back yard.

"You're home early," Trunks said as Sabriena came out the back door.

"I almost got eaten by a bear," Sabriena muttered into her soda, coming to a stop next to him and Catie. "I was ready to come back."

Catie laughed. "Do WHAT?"

Sabriena recalled the story as Catie and Trunks laughed with shock. "Man, you're lucky Tien was there!" Trunks cried.

"Yeah, I know," Sabriena said, watching little Paige in the yard. She was following Vegeta around, mimicking his moves. She gave little punches, staring up at him, stepping forward with each move.

Catie put her hands on her hips and smiled at Paige. "Looks like Vegeta has a new student."

Vegeta stopped and looked down at Paige. She grinned up at him. She turned from him and held her arms out wide, then brought her arms together, yelling, "Fina Fash!"

Vegeta's eyes went wide for a moment before he smiled. Paige did it over and over, sometimes her movements completely off, but she was trying. Vegeta shook his head. Living here was making him go soft. He knelt down next to her. "Use your energy," he muttered softly. He poked her tummy, making her giggle. "From in here." Paige blinked her big, blue eyes at him. Vegeta summoned a tiny orb of energy in his palm and held it out to Paige. She stared wide-eyed at the glowing light before she very carefully took it in her hands and held it.

"What are you doing?" came Jenny's voice as she and Piccolo came into the yard.

"Teaching," Vegeta said simply.

Jenny came to a stop near Vegeta. "Are you nuts?! She's too little for that! Paige, get that out of your mouth!"

Paige paused and looked up at her mother, the little orb still partially in her mouth. "En-gy!" she said, holding it out to her mother.

"Yes, I see that," Jenny said, fixing Vegeta with a hard scowl. "Really, Vegeta? Giving an energy blast to a baby?"

"It's not a blast and she's not a baby anymore," Vegeta replied coolly. "If she's old enough to walk, she's old enough to train."

Sabriena blinked up at Piccolo. She wasn't used to seeing him at Capsule Corp. Was no place safe from this guy? Sure, he was Jenny's husband, but that didn't erase all the time Sabriena had spent arguing with him when she lived at the Lookout. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a bored tone.

"Watching Jenny work," he answered without looking at her. "You?"

"Watching the insanity," she answered, nodding at Vegeta and Jenny arguing in the yard, little Paige still nomming on the energy sphere.

Paige suddenly threw the orb of energy – it landed hard in the dirt at Sabriena's feet, stirring up a fair amount of dust. She jumped and bumped into Trunks, spilling her soda over herself. Vegeta snickered and pressed his cheek to his shoulder, trying not to laugh out loud.

"O-kay," Sabriena said loudly. "I've had enough for one day." She turned on her heel to march back into the house, muttering about babies throwing energy blasts and man-eating bears. "I just want one normal day!" She crumpled her soda can and threw it against the side of the house as she stormed inside.

"You see?" Jenny said. "I asked you to watch Paige for a minute, not turn her into baby-bad ass!"

An amused smile pulled at the corner of Vegeta's mouth. "Too late for that. If you think I'm going to stand by and let her turn out to be some weakling, then you're a fool."

Paige was still swinging her arms wildly, "Fina Fash. Fina Fash. Fina Fash."

Vegeta shook his head and knelt down behind Paige again. Taking a hold of her forearms, he guided her movements. "Final. Flash," he said, unable to hide the amusement on his face as he moved her arms in time with the words. "Final. Flash." He stood again and blinked at Jenny's murderous expression. "What?! If you think she's actually going to pull off that attack…"

"She's certainly trying!" Jenny cried, pointing at her almost-two-year-old daughter.

"Ah, lighten up, Jenny," Catie grinned. "This is pretty adorable, really. Let her have some fun."

Trunks was standing in Paige's line of fire when it happened. Paige yelled, "FINA FASH!" with all her might as she slammed her wrists together. Trunks had to dive out of the way to avoid the large blast of yellow energy that erupted from Paige's tiny hands. The force of the blast was so strong it threw Paige back against Vegeta's leg and he jumped, his eyes wide, staring at the crumbling garden wall.

"Fan-tas-tic," Piccolo deadpanned, narrowing his eyes at Vegeta.

"Oh my god, I almost got killed by a toddler," Trunks gasped and got to his feet as Catie laughed at him.

"That would be a shitty way to go," she giggled.

"Glad you're so amused," he muttered.

Vegeta's shoulders shook as he stared at the wall, then down at Paige. He threw his head back, laughing loudly, before he bent and scooped Paige up. "You'll be the strongest one yet," he purred to her.

"VEGETA!" Jenny cried, looking furious.

He gave Jenny a haughty, defiant look. "If you'll excuse me, I have training to do with my newest student." And with that, he marched inside, carrying Paige with him.

* * *

"I swear, Tien, I could hear Trunks shouting all the way up the stairs!" Sabriena cried, leaning over the table and slapping it with her hand, trying to control her laughter.

Tien had his hands over his face, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "Oh, man, I'd have loved to see that." He lowered his hands, trying to wipe the amusement from his face. "How powerful is Piccolo's daughter? I mean, she's only a year old, isn't she?"

"Almost two," Sabriena nodded, taking a bite of the stew she'd made for them that night. It had been an extremely long day at Tien's. The chicken coop was nearly completed now, they'd chopped the last of the rounds of firewood that Tien had laid out, the garden watered and weeded, and they had sparred until well after dark. They were both tired and sore, but in a good kind of way that made them feel like they really accomplished something that day.

"It's still weird to me that Piccolo has a daughter," Tien said, shaking his head slightly.

"Two daughters," Sabriena corrected him. "And now Lindsey and Gohan are going to have a baby… Ten bucks says Catie and Trunks are next." She shuddered.

"Thank god I never got hung up with any of that," Tien muttered, taking a drink.

Sabriena looked up from her food, a light in her eyes. "No kids? You don't want any?"

"Nope," he answered as he set his cup back down.

"Oh thank god!" Sabriena cried. "Finally! Someone who isn't in baby-making mode!" She leaned across the table and gave him a high-five as he laughed at her.

"You don't want kids?" he asked as she sat back.

"Pshhh," she scoffed. "No. I think you know me well enough by now to know I'm too selfish for that. My time and my money is for me. Not for some sticky, snot-nosed brat. I can't stand kids. I do good to be around Paige and Alice. And I think that's because they can't talk back yet… well, Alice can't at least."

"Hmm. I'd have thought you'd want them eventually," he said. "You're still young. You might change your mind."

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Well, that's one thing we have in common, I suppose," Tien said.

"And we both like to eat too much," Sabriena snickered.

Tien finished off his stew and set the bowl back on the table. "No kidding."

"There's more over there if you want it," Sabriena offered.

"I don't think I can," he answered. "I've had three bowls already. Your cooking is too good. I can't stop eating it."

A small smile pulled at her lips as she finished off the last of her own bowl. Tien stood and picked up the dishes to set them in the small wash tub on the little counter. "You going home or are you staying here tonight?"

Sabriena chewed the inside corner of her cheek. "Well… it's awfully late. And I am tired. Would it be okay if I slept here?" she asked, yawning. "I hate to make you sleep outside again."

"I don't mind," Tien answered. "Really. It's nice out tonight." He paused for a minute, his back to her. "Do you have anything to sleep in?"

Sabriena was quiet for a second. "Uh, no. Could I borrow your shirt again?"

Tien was grateful he had his back to her because a big smile split his face. "Yeah, grab it out of the drawer." He rubbed at his face several times, trying to erase the smile. It was hopeless. Keeping his back to her, he moved to get his big cloak to sleep on. He finally composed himself to turn back around.

She was sitting at the table again, his white shirt in her lap, pulling something out of her purse. "I brought my contact solution this time," she laughed. She opened the little case and peeled the contact out of her right eye.

Tien gagged and turned away. "I don't know how you can stand to do that!"

Sabriena laughed at him. "You big baby."

He looked at her again and scowled. "All right then, let's see what you've been hiding behind those things."

Sabriena clapped her hands over her eyes. "Nope."

Tien stepped closer and grabbed her wrists while she giggled and struggled away from him, her eyes clenched shut. "Come on," he said, trying not to laugh again. "Let me see."

"Nooooooo," she giggled.

Tien sighed and released her. "Oh, all right," he grumbled. He ruffled her hair and grabbed his cloak. "Sleep well, Sabriena."

The air was warm and heavy as Tien laid out the cloak near the empty fire pit. He set to work, building a small fire to cast some light across the yard before he laid back and stared up at the stars overhead. It didn't take long for him to doze off, listening to the crackling of the fire.

* * *

Tien woke with a start. He shook his head and blinked repeatedly. "What the…?" He sat up and remembered he had gone to sleep outside. The fire was out and rain was beginning to fall steadily. "Ah damn," he muttered. He slicked the rain from his face and stood up, grabbing up his cloak. He debated for a second – throw together a temporary shelter by the trees? Or risk pissing off Sabriena and going in the house? She wasn't exactly a modest person and he'd already seen her in his shirt once. A soft rumbling of thunder made up his mind and he went into the cabin.

The fire was still going inside and he draped his cloak over Sabriena's chair to dry it out. He could barely see her form under the heavy quilt on his bed. He sat down at the table and yawned. He couldn't have been asleep for more than a couple hours. There was no way he was going to be able to function tomorrow if he just stayed up. He sighed and crossed his arms on the table, resting his head on them. He shifted around in his chair until he found an acceptable position to go to sleep in. It took quite awhile this time, but eventually he was able to drift off to a light sleep.

But it was only for a moment. Tien jumped at the soft shaking of his shoulder and Sabriena took a step back. "Sorry," she said quietly. "What are you doing?"

"It's raining," Tien said, his voice low and heavy.

"Yeah, I noticed," Sabriena answered. "I meant, what are you doing sleeping at the table?"

Tien shrugged. "No where else to sleep."

"You could get in bed," Sabriena suggested.

"And then where will you sleep?" he countered, waking up a bit more. He had to swallow again at the sight of her in his white shirt.

"Uh, in the bed," she laughed.

Tien's eyes widened. "Oh! You mean, together?" He felt his face go hot.

"Tien," Sabriena said softly, "all we're doing is sleeping. You can lay down with me. I trust you."

Something jumped in Tien's heart. Trust? Did she just say she trusted him? "All right," he agreed and got to his feet.

Sabriena stretched, her lifted arms raising the shirt a bit more than she should have, and quickly brought her arms back down. "I'm so tired," she whined and drug herself across the cabin to crawl back into the soft bed. She scooted over close to the wall, beneath the window.

Tien's breath hitched as he sat on the edge of his own bed and pulled off his boots and his shirt. He finally laid down on his side facing her. She was lying facing him, a good amount of space between them. Something was different about her… "Oh my god," Tien said softly, "your eyes." Without the strange cosmetic contacts, Sabriena's eyes no longer looked electric green, but were an amazing honey-colored hazel that glowed with a warmth that he'd never seen before.

She realized what he meant a second later and clapped her hands over her eyes again. "I know. They're so plain."

"You're so nuts," he answered. "I like them better than the green color."

She lowered her hands and blinked at him. "Really?"

He gave a nod. "I don't understand why you women think you have to hide behind all that makeup and stuff. It doesn't make sense to me."

"You know, you say that, but I bet you would freak out if you saw what most women look like without it," she muttered. "We do that stuff to impress you men. And then, all you all do is complain that we wear it, but god forbid we go a day without it because then you say we look like crap."

Tien stared into her eyes. "I wouldn't tell you that you look like crap," he said. "And secondly, what would it matter if you did? We're out here training. You don't have to impress anyone. The only thing I'm worried about is you hitting your goals with your fighting. That's the only thing that will impress me."

Sabriena shook her head. Just because he may not care didn't mean other men felt the same. She closed her eyes and listened to the rain tapping against the window. She loved the sound of rain, but she prayed that it didn't storm. Ever since that day that the storms had destroyed the warehouse, she couldn't stand the sound of them anymore. She opened her eyes again. "I hope this doesn't turn into a bad storm," she said softly.

Tien looked up at the window. "It was starting to lightning when I came inside." He couldn't remember her voice being so meek, so quiet in all the time he'd known her. He looked back to her, concern showing on his face. "Are you afraid of storms?" He was about to say that storms couldn't hurt you, but then the memory of the storms created by Sigourney's followers came to his mind. They had made it rain for days upon days without end, flooding the Earth. He had joined in the search for Paige, but had been distracted trying to save people in West City from drowning. He hadn't made it back to the Lookout in time to join the others when they went to the castle.

Sabriena seemed to sink into the covers, not meeting his eyes. "Maybe... a little..." she said, her voice small. She gave an involuntary shudder. "Ever since Paige was kidnapped... those storms? I just... I can't stand them." She chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. "You remember, right? That was horrible." She closed her eyes again. "I don't ever want to see that again.

Tien nodded, they had all been there through that. No one should have to go through that twice. "That's why we're training; so it never does happen again." He frowned at her, her eyes shut tightly, was that a tear at the corner of them? "Do you need to talk about what happened?"

She shrugged. "I don't know what all happened here in Japan before I came over," she said, "but what I dealt with back in the states was hell. We didn't have the flooding as bad as you all did. At least, not at first. I went to check on my dad... He was downstairs - there's a den in the basement at his house - and that's when we heard the tornado sirens..." She laid back and stared up at the rafters of Tien's cabin. "Our town rarely gets a real tornado. I could hear this one, though. Sounded like a freight train going over..." She exhaled a long breath through pursed lips. "When the sirens stopped, I went out to check the damage. It missed Dad's neighborhood, thank god. But then I went to the warehouse... That big house that we stayed at? You went there a couple times, right? When we were all in the states?"

Tien nodded, frowning. He remembered the one. Full of those loud and noisy thugs, the constant coming and going of who knew how many people. He remembered helping put up Christmas decorations when Jenny had gone into labor. "The tornado destroyed it?" The implication hit him a second later and, while he wasn't particularly fond of those people, he wouldn't wish that upon them. "Did your friends make it out in time?"

She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "The whole place was flattened," she answered, pressing the heel of her hand to her forehead, the painfully vivid memory flooding into her. "I called 911. They refused to send anyone out." Her voice went quiet as she said, "They must have recognized the address." Authorities in the area were never eager to help out anyone associated with Anarchy 99. "I looked for them. Kirill was the only one who wasn't hurt. He was in the armory... It's like a huge safe. It was the only part left standing. We looked..." She was fighting tears hard, but she refused to let them fall. "I pulled their bodies out of that rubble by myself. Just... rain and blood and PIECES of my friends everywhere... Everything we had was destroyed."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Tien pressed his lips together, trying to imagine the horror of finding his own friends that way. "That's horrible. Why wouldn't the police help you? Isn't that their job?"

She shook her head emphatically. She couldn't tell him about why they wouldn't help. If Tien knew about her past, she was sure he wouldn't keep her as a student.

He shook his head, deciding not to press the issue. It didn't matter now anyway. "Goku told me the Fates stepped in, that they revived Gohan. They brought back your friends at the warehouse, too, didn't they?" He didn't like that sound in her voice, like it was on the verge of breaking, "Sabriena, you can cry. I won't think any less of you. Who else have you talked to about this?"

"I told Jenny a little bit, when I finally got back here," she answered. "I wanted the dragon to revive them. I don't understand why the Fates did what they did - the WAY they did it. Yeah, they brought everyone back. But they didn't heal Yelena." She fixed Tien with a hard stare. "She lost her leg. I had to use a belt to stop the bleeding. She has to wear a prosthetic now!"

Tien remembered that Goku said that the Fates had changed some things, but had cryptically said that some of the events that had happened on that day could not be reversed. "Ah, not to sound dispassionate about that, but didn't they say they couldn't undo what happened to Trunks on that day? He and Catie had to overcome that. Maybe there is a lesson behind her lost limb. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but maybe she became a stronger person because of it?"

"Maybe," Sabriena said. She always thought that whole "everything happens for a reason" line was bullshit. She crossed her arms and turned her face towards the window, her bottom lip trembling. Did she tell him about Tumbler? It was painfully obvious that Tien didn't approve of him. And while she didn't love him anymore, that didn't erase the memory and the hurt of watching him die. She tried to make it look like she was itching her eye as a single tear rolled down her nose. 'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry,' she thought to herself over and over. She tensed as a long, low rumble of thunder rolled overhead. She seemed to hold her breath until it stopped. "I just hate that everyone had to suffer so much."

Tien could see she was a little more than upset. How long had this been eating at her? How had something so obviously devastating not effected her training thus far? He eyed the storm again. They hadn't had one of those since he'd taken her on as a student. He looked at her again. Her voice sounded on the verge of tears. The lightning illuminated her face; he could see the one that slid down her cheek. All that from her friend losing her leg? Unless… "He died, didn't he?" That jerk of an ex boyfriend. No wonder she had been so upset when she thought Tien was going to push him to the limits. When that guy had said life wasn't worth living without Sabriena there. He DARED MOCK her like that?! After all she went through to save his sorry ass? Tien exhaled through his nose, trying to calm himself. She deserved so much better.

She gave a nod, swallowing hard. "I tried to save him," she said, her voice thick with emotion, yet hauntingly quiet. "I found him under one of our cars. I... I was able to power up, just for a moment, long enough to move it off of him. He was still alive. He was coughing up blood. I wanted to save him, but there was nothing I could do. So I just sat there and held him, told him I loved him. Promised him I'd find a way to bring him back." She closed her eyes for a moment, almost reliving that horrible day. It was as if she could feel the rain on her again and his heavy weight in her arms. "I'll never be able to get that out of my head. That awful rattling sound. The way his eyes just looked so empty..." She shook her head and went quiet again.

Tien almost snorted but held himself in check. And people thought this woman was simple...selfish... To be honest, he had thought it too. But here, underneath it all, it was like he was wiping away all of the layers of fake she put up around herself. He understood now why she did it. It was to protect herself. "It's not easy, facing death like that. My friend's and I have saved this world more times than I care to remember and the people we saved don't have the slightest idea." He looked at her, "I have the benefit of having others to talk to. We've been through the same experiences; we know what its like. We've all shed our share of tears. Especially when it comes to loved ones. There's no shame in that." He paused and snorted. "Even Vegeta is affected by it sometimes. Trunks was killed in the fight against Cell. Vegeta may be an egotistical jerk, but even that got to him." He looked at her, reaching out and grabbing her chin with his thumb and forefinger, "I was wrong about you, you know...thinking you were selfish..."

She looked deep into Tien's dark eyes, his understanding expression. She couldn't picture him shedding a tear. And she certainly couldn't imagine Vegeta doing it. "I am selfish. I'll admit it. But... it's not all I am. I do care about other people. It's just... no one seems to notice." She rolled her eyes and pulled out of his grasp. "Spoiled rotten Sabriena. All she cares about is cars and parties and shopping and booze. Nope. There's nothing else that matters to her," she recited bitterly. "You know, I don't know why I even bother! I drug their sorry dead butts out of that trash, I went through that castle, I helped save the world, too, you know! And for what? FOR WHAT?" She slammed her hands on either side of her, slapping the mattress. "THEY DON'T EVEN REMEMBER!" She turned to look at Tien again, frustration filling her eyes as she spoke through gritted teeth, "Tien, he doesn't even REMEMBER."

Tien considered her for a moment, "You think if he did remember it would change anything? Would he have cleaned up, found better work, treated you like you should have been? Or would have he resented the fact that a woman had to save him? Would he have fallen farther than he is right now?" He looked at her, he understood that frustration. After the Cell Games were over, he had wanted to scream at the people who thought it had been Mr. Satan who saved them all. He shook his head, "I know what you did. Your friends remember. The people that matter the most to you know what you did. I know what you are capable of and I am going to do all that I can to help the others see it too. You aren't that bad any more. You're just...you." He looked at her differently then. This new Sabriena he hadn't seen before, with the hazel eyes he could just stare into for days on end, who cooked like an angel, who had the passion and drive to be great, to become greater...she was all right there.

A small smile pulled at her lips. "Thanks, Tien. For everything." She gave a soft laugh, "You're pretty cool, ya know? You're the only one able to put up with me." She covered her face with both hands, groaning, "Raaaaaah." She dropped her arms again and sighed. "I just wanna show everyone that I am capable of more. Do I like to shop? Sure! And I will have the best that money can buy. I'm not cheap and I don't expect to own cheap things. But there is more to me than that. It's just not easy for me to get close to anyone. I don't trust people. I really don't." She sighed. "And every time I let someone in, I lose them." She looked at Tien again. "What's the point in letting anyone in if all they do is hurt you? At least things can't hurt you. Can't betray you. Can't leave you." A smile played across her lips again. "That's why when this is all said and done, I'm going back to the states to finish my degree. And I'm going to get a good job and it'll just be me, in a big fancy house somewhere warm. And I won't have to deal with anyone anymore. No more judgmental people pretending to be my friends. Just me, the house and a credit card with noooo limit. Maybe a cat..."

Tien couldn't hold back the chuckle at the thought of Sabriena in a big house with a cat - clawing everything to shreds. She was funny. He had a twisting feeling in his chest at the thought of her leaving though. He swallowed hard and tried not to show it. He smiled at her and propped his head up on his hand looking at her, "Finish your degree in cooking? You mean to tell me you're not at the top of your field already? I think if you perfect your cooking skill any more I might die." He'd only had two meals prepared by her, but that was more than enough to convince him. He never wanted to eat anyone else's cooking again.

Sabriena snorted. "You kidding? I have two more years to go, just to get a bachelor's. Four more, if I want a master's degree." She turned to him again, mimicking him by propping herself up on an elbow. "You see? No one even knew I was taking classes! They didn't pay enough attention to me for two years to know I was going to class every day. Even Jenny and Lindsey didn't notice when they were there." She growled. "I don't understand it! No one seems to notice me, no matter how hard I try!"

Tien gave her a skeptical look, "I've noticed you. I'm impressed. I really am; to see you change the way you have. But Sabriena, please don't take this the wrong way, but...when I first met you, you weren't really that impressionable. Yes you were doing things with the group, but you weren't trying to get noticed. It really felt like you were just going through the motions because you had to, not because you wanted to."

Don't take that the wrong way? She suppressed the urge to snort at him. She had sacrificed her life to save her friends. And she'd done so before she even knew anything about the existence of the dragonballs. She had died with every conscious intent to stay dead, if it meant protecting her friends. Oh, yeah, that was just 'going through the motions.' She wondered if they all felt that way about her, or if it was just him because she hadn't been around him a lot over the past two years. Maybe it just seemed that way to him. Surely the others knew better? She sighed. They probably didn't.

Tien was still speaking. "Now, here you are, actually wanting to make a difference and you are starting to stand out more and more. I notice you because of what you are trying to do now, not because the makeup you wear or the color of your eyes. Out here, there's no one but you and me. You don't have to impress me. I notice you."

She gave a soft snort of laughter. "The only reason you notice me is because I'm constantly in your face." She leaned closer until their noses were almost touching, widening her eyes at him and blinking. "See? See? This is why you notice me." She couldn't stop the big smile that split her face or the laughter coming from her throat.

Tien couldn't hold back and his laugh joined hers. This girl was nothing if not funny. He shook his head and smiled at her, trying not to think about how she needed to smile more...how it lit up those eyes of hers...her real eyes... He could see her better without that fake color obscuring her from him, like he was seeing the real Sabriena. Gods, she was so close to him. He wondered what she would do if he leaned forward and kissed her, running his hands over his shirt on her curves, "You should leave the contacts off," he said without thinking. He shook his head and pulled back from her. "We need to get some sleep. Are you going to be okay with the storm?"

"Oh yeah, fine," she huffed and flopped back against the pillow. "I tell you all my fears and you don't share anything with me. I see how you are." She crossed her arms and pretended to pout. "Ah well, mister big, strong, tough, rugged mountain man probably isn't afraid of anything, are you, Mr. Shinhan?"

Tien went silent for a moment. Oh, he had his fears. The only one that was standing out in his mind at that moment was when she had mentioned going back to the states when it was all over. He didn't want to lose her yet, to see her go. There was just something about her that he had to see through to the end or it would drive him insane. He feared she'd go back to that jerk she used to date. He feared she might give up. And even if she did stay - he feared he was too old for her. He managed a laugh, "I'd say death scares me, but I've already died once so that kind of took out that one. I guess you wouldn't buy that I'm afraid of people, hence why I am the "tough rugged mountain man" avoiding all contact with the outside world? No? Shame..." He sighed, "I have plenty of fears, but I choose to not let them drag me down."

"You seem like the kind of guy who isn't afraid of anything," she said, a bit of a dreamy sound to her voice. "I'm not afraid of death either."

He nodded, "I think the fear of death comes in the moments leading up to it, not knowing what's on the other side. I don't think many of us fear death anymore. Most of our group has died at one time or another. Just the one time though. I'd care to not repeat that experience any time soon." He thought on her words and said softly, "Only a fool isn't afraid of anything. Fear keeps you safe, tells your gut when a situation is bad. Tells you when would be a good time to retreat, regroup, find a new plan of attack. Courage comes from choosing to over look that fear. Rise above it." He sighed. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her about his past. It wasn't pretty, but if she wanted a fear, "I suppose I am afraid of becoming the person I once was. I was a coward back then, it was a bad time in my life. Not a day goes by when I don't think about it."

Sabriena was just getting ready to ask him what he meant when a huge clap of thunder deafened her words. It was so loud, it actually shook the cabin. Sabriena screamed and buried her face against the pillows, clutching at the quilt, curling up in a ball on her side. "Make it stop, make it stop," she whined. Another roar of thunder sounded and she screamed again, trembling like a leaf. She'd lied. Storms didn't scare her. They terrified the shit out of her.

Tien had even jumped at that. The storm would be going for quite some time by the sound of it. He saw how badly she wash shaking, he could feel it in the bed - she would never get to sleep like that. He shook his head and opened his arms, "C'mere girl. You'll be alright."

She blinked at him for a moment before scrambling across the bed and throwing herself against his chest. She was shaking all over. God, she hated storms. Tien's bare chest was warm and solid as she pressed her cheek against it, curling up to his side. If the storm turned bad, he would save her. And she wouldn't have to save him. He was strong and brave - she could be the one to be protected for once. A strike of lightning lit up the cabin for a minute and she ducked her head into his chest, cringing.

He pulled her close, reaching for the blanket and pulling it up around them before he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on his pillow, muttering into her hair. Her soft hair smelled like earth, flowers, campfire smoke… He suppressed a shiver, "See? I won't let the storm get you. You'll be okay. We'll be okay. I've got you."

She let out a shuddering sigh, relaxing into his arms. There was that amazing smell again, so warm and inviting. She blinked slowly, feeling her long lashes brush against his chest. The dim light from the fireplace threw his chest into sharp relief, causing his scar to stand out even more than usual. It was a long, deep scar that ran from his right shoulder all the way to the middle of his chest. She'd seen it a hundred times but had never noticed it before. She reached across him and touched his shoulder, tracing the scar, her middle finger running down the center of it, the nails of her other fingers lightly dragging over his skin on either side. "How'd you get that?" she asked softly.

Tien had to use all of his training, all of his mental power to resist the urge to shudder as she trailed a finger down his scar. His skin tingled where she had touched him. He let out a shaky sigh, "Old news. Was back in a world martial arts tournament. I was up against one of my former masters. He had a concealed weapon on him."

She frowned as her fingers reached the end of the scar and she laid her hand flat in the middle of his chest, her eyes growing heavy. "Sorry, Tien," she said sleepily. She yawned and stretched against him, then relaxed, closing her eyes. She snuggled a little closer as a softer roll of thunder rumbled outside and the rain beat upon the window.

He settled back into the bed, his heart fluttering, yet there was a contentment that coiled in his chest at her weight against his side. There were a million things running through his mind, but all that mattered to him in that moment was that Sabriena trusted him enough to sleep next to him – a monumental step, if she really was as untrusting of others as she said. He'd earned her trust and that was enough to let him sleep peacefully that night as the storm raged outside.

* * *

A HUGE thank-you to Jenny for co-authoring this chapter with me. I don't know what I'd do without you girl!


	18. Blueberry Pancakes and Poison Ivy

Sabriena awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the window of the cabin. She jumped when she realized her back was against Tien's chest, his heavy arm draped over her. They must've rolled around in their sleep or something – they certainly weren't spooning when they'd fallen asleep. Sabriena snuggled back against him for a moment, drinking in the feeling of being safe, warm, and protected. It had been a very long time since she'd been held like that. She couldn't help but smile as she felt Tien's chest rise and fall against her back. Sure, he could be a pain in the ass and a stickler for rules, but he really had been kind to her lately. Especially with building her a chicken coop and taking so much time out of his schedule to work with her. He deserved something in return.

As carefully and quietly as she could, Sabriena slid from under Tien's arm and crawled out of bed. She quickly changed into her tanktop and jeans that she'd worn the day before and pulled on her sneakers. Grabbing up an empty basket, she snuck outside into the early morning sunlight, heading out for the woods, thinking about the blueberries she'd seen there. She wondered if Tien would appreciate the blueberry pancakes she intended to make him for breakfast. He liked all the other meals she'd made for him.

The woods were peaceful and quiet that morning, the leaves of the trees still heavy with rain from the night before. Her sneakers squished on the damp earth as she walked. She soon found what she was looking for – large bushes full of dark, ripe berries. She smiled and hurried her steps, but her toe caught on the root of a tree, throwing her off balance. She flailed her arms, trying to catch herself, but the wet ground under her shoes betrayed her and she landed flat on her face in a patch of dark green leaves.

"Ow," Sabriena muttered against the ground. She pushed herself up, brushing the hair out of her face. What had she landed in? The leaves felt strangely soft against her hands. "Oh god," she gasped and jumped to her feet. "Oh god. Oh NO!" She was surrounded by poison ivy. "Daaaaamn it!" she whined, stomping her foot. Her skin was already starting to itch. She had to get back to the city and see if Bulma had anything she could put on the rash that was starting to spring up on her arms. Sighing, she grabbed up the empty basket and headed back the direction she'd come.

Sabriena trudged through the yard to Tien's cabin, itching at her already reddening skin, the basket dangling sadly empty from her hand. "Fuckin' poison ivy," she grumbled. She wanted to cry and scream; she was so mad. She paused on the steps - she could hear Tien inside, rustling around making coffee. She sighed. She thought about running for it, but her purse was inside, along with the capsule for her car. She wasn't sure she could make the two-hour flight to Capsule Corp on her own energy. Drawing a deep breath, she shoved open the heavy door and stepped inside. "Hey," she muttered to Tien and unceremoniously dropped the empty basket on the table.

Tien looked over his shoulder, "Hey. I was worried about you. Where were you? And why the basket?" He nodded towards the empty basket, bringing over a cup of coffee for her. He paused when he saw her looking absolutely miserable, scratching at the red patches blossoming across her skin, "What on earth happened to you?" He sat down the mugs and reached out to grasp her arm carefully. He looked at the rash, a frown on his face.

"I was going to make us some breakfast. I went to get blueberries, but I slipped. The ground's still really wet." She let out a big huff. "I feel so stupid! I face-planted. Right in it! Just..." she clapped her hands together once, "WHACK." She shook her head, "Oh my god, Tien, I feel so stupid."

He let her arm drop and he went over to his shelves and studied the jars there for a moment before he selected one and walked back over to her, uncorking it. "You have to be more careful," he scolded. "You don't have any business wandering in these woods on your own. Especially after that incident with the bear."

"Well excuse me for trying to make a decent breakfast," she snipped back. She moved to grab for her purse. "I'm going to Capsule Corp. I'll be back."

"Stop," Tien said and grabbed her arm again. He showed her the little jar in his hand, "This will work better than anything Bulma can give you."

She eyed the jar of salve and finally nodded with a sigh. "Fine."

He sat down in a chair facing her, watching her as he took her hand in his, "You could have woken me up, I would have helped you gather the berries." He held out the salve for her inspection as he took out a glob of it and rubbed it onto her forearm. "This will help. I made out of some of the wild herbs that grow on one of the mountains. It should get rid of the redness and the itching."

Sabriena closed her eyes at his touch as his warm, rough hands slid over her arms, working the salve into her skin. The itching ebbed. She watched him work it into her hand, massaging her hand with his fingers. She didn't understand his gentleness. It was something she just couldn't get over, something she'd been trying to figure out for weeks now. Aside from Piccolo, Tien was the biggest of the Z-Fighters, and that was saying something. Yet he could be so gentle, so graceful and agile at the same time. And there was a kindness in him that she'd never known from a man. A patience. She stopped herself from snorting. He was probably the only person in the world who had the patience to put up with her this much. His hands moved to her other arm, working the sweet-smelling salve into her skin again.

Tien felt his heart fluttering as he worked the salve into her rashes, being careful to not miss a single spot. He carefully worked it onto her chest, being mindful so as not to touch her in the wrong way, but, oh, if he didn't love how soft her skin felt under his fingers, the slight swell of her breasts. He removed his hands quickly and dipped them into the ointment once more, spreading it over his fingers. He reached for her face, taking it in his hands as he carefully worked it into her muscles, over her cheeks, her forehead, her nose. He was concentrating hard on not letting his hands shake. What was it about her that did this to him? She was annoying and rude and selfish, and yet… There was something more to her that just drove him wild. She could be funny and kind. Lord knew she was determined. He suddenly realized how close she was to him.

Sabriena was sighed slightly as Tien's hands moved across her collarbones, just slightly brushing her breasts, trailing up her neck. The salve was cooling and refreshing as he worked it into her face. She was grateful; she'd do just about anything to get rid of that awful itching feeling.

He hooked a stray piece of her hair with his little finger and moved it, tucking it behind her ear. He leaned in a little closer. His firm lips mere inches from hers. Tien's mind was swimming. His heart was surely going to jump out of his chest at any moment as he swept his fingers over the last of the rash he could see. He didn't let go, his eyes meeting her beautiful honey gold ones. Gods, why did she want to cover that up? He swallowed, looking between her eyes and her lips; she wasn't pulling away... she didn't say stop... Just one kiss. That's all he wanted. He leaned forward, his lips a scant inch from hers, he could feel their warmth...

The cabin door flew open with a bang, "Man, Tien, I can't believe this crap!" It was Yamcha, clutching an envelope in his hand, looking irritated.

Sabriena jumped and stumbled back away from Tien and looked to the floor, trying to let her hair cover her face like a curtain.

"Oh, hey Sabriena," he said before turning his attention back to Tien. "Did you get one of these?" he demanded, holding up the envelope.

Tien stepped away from Sabriena the moment his door flew open. He had to school his expression to hide his annoyance at Yamcha barging in unannounced and interrupting them. He looked over at him, "You know I don't get mail out here. What is it?" He replaced the cork on the jar of salve and wordlessly passed it to Sabriena without looking at her. He couldn't look at her now. The moment was gone and he'd lost his chance. He swallowed, wondering what it would have been like or if it would have been a mistake. 'Best mistake ever,' a voice said in the back of his mind.

"It's an invitation from Gohan and his wife. They're having a baby shower - they're making all us guys go, too!" Yamcha huffed. "Isn't that something just the women are supposed to do?" He looked beyond irritated.

Sabriena was digging in her purse and pulled out an envelope to hand to Tien. "Here. Bulma asked me to give this to you. I forgot about it." She stashed the jar of salve in her purse and pulled the strap up over her shoulder. Still looking at the floor, hoping her hair would hide the rash on her face from Yamcha, she muttered, "I'll see you later, Tien."

Tien's grasped the invitation and looked at her, his eyebrows going up, "Wait, what about training today?" He didn't want to see her go. He fought the urge to sigh in disappointment. He'd gone too far. He shouldn't have tried to kiss her. Stupid. That was just plain stupid of him and he should have known better. He was way too old for her and he knew it. Now he could have ruined everything because he had let his judgment slip.

She could feel her throat tightening, the poison ivy making it burn. Shit. She'd inhaled it - she was going to be miserable for days. "You have company," she muttered. "Nice to see you, Yamcha." And with that, she skirted around him and out the door and practically broke into a run, tossing the capsule for her car into the yard. She couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"Man, you got lucky!" Yamcha proclaimed, watching her go, "Out of all those girls, you get to train with her?" He shook his head and shut the door. "Damn, she's hot."

Tien felt a flare of jealousy course through him at Yamcha's words. "No, Yamcha. She's off limits. If you're looking for a woman, go to one of your bars and find one." He looked down at the envelope and opened it up, reading over the words quickly. A baby shower. He'd never been to one of those before and wasn't completely sure he wanted to go. But it would mean a lot to Gohan if he went, and a lot to Goku as well. He sighed. He didn't see a way out of this one. He supposed he'd have to bring them a gift.

"Off limits?" Yamcha snorted, reaching for one of the full, forgotten cups of coffee on the table. He sat down in Sabriena's chair and sipped at it. "I mean, yeah, she's young, but that's not that big of a deal, right? She's over eighteen. Besides," he grinned, throwing one arm casually over the back of the chair, "I think I'd be just her type."

Normally, Tien could just brush Yamcha off, but something about the way he said it just made his blood boil. Yamcha wasnt an asshole, most of the time. But Yamcha was Sabriena's type and if she started hanging out with him, she might start reverting back to the way the she had been. They'd lose all the ground they'd gained. Everyone knew Yamcha wasn't that serious about training anymore. He'd practically given up on fighting years ago. If Sabriena got it in her head that she didn't have to train… Tien couldn't let that happen, not when they'd come so far. "That's exactly my point," he said dryly and grabbed his own coffee, sipping it as he looked out the window and watched Sabriena's car take off.

* * *

It was over a week later before Sabriena returned to Tien's cabin. She sat in her car, checking her reflection in the mirror. The rash was thankfully gone. She felt horrible for missing so much training, but she'd been sick, so sick, with the poison ivy in her throat. She'd barely been able to breathe. She got out of the car and headed into the cabin. "Tien?" she called. It was empty. A glance out the back window told her that he wasn't in the garden either. She wandered back outside, looking around for him. She finally spotted him down at the river, his figure just barely visible in the water from where she stood, and followed the little dirt path through the tall grass. She was just about to call out to him when she noticed his clothing tossed carelessly on the bank. His eyes were closed, tilting his head back under the waterfall. It was a hot spring morning - she couldn't blame him for wanting to cool off. But oh... the way the water cascaded over his shoulders, down his chest... She was going to have to cool off now. She didn't want to embarrass him, but at the same time she couldn't tear her eyes away. She slipped behind the trunk of a wide tree and peered out. She could see the water running over the flat muscles of his stomach, the deeply carved lines of his hips, the patch of jet black hair where those lines joined. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as she stared. She hadn't really thought about Tien like this. If only he would turn a bit more, raise up out of the water just a bit. Gods, he looked amazing in the early morning light. So strong, so… sexy. She bit her lip and shifted her weight, trying to get a better view. Her sneaker snapped a stick and she froze. SHIT. She threw her back against the trunk, hiding from him, her mind working furiously. Shit.

Tien's snapped open and he turned in the direction he'd heard it the noise. He really needed to stop getting lost in thought, but he had been having trouble lately. When Sabriena didn't come back the next day, he knew he had seriously screwed up. He shouldn't have tried to kiss her and now, she wasn't going to come back. He hadn't heard a word from her, or anyone else for that matter. It had been bothering him a lot. "Who's there?" He called out and raised his power level a little bit. He didn't want to fight someone naked, but it wouldn't stop him either.

Sabriena cringed as flung her arm out from behind the tree, waving. "It's me!" she called. "I was looking for you - you weren't in the cabin! Sorry! I was... trying to figure out how to say hi without... you know... embarrassing you. I saw your clothes on the ground..." She cringed harder, feeling her face grow hot.

"Sabriena?" he asked, walking forward a bit. "Is that you?" He was surprised to hear her voice. He had been certain he wouldn't see her again.

"Yeah," she answered. "I'll, uh, meet you up at the cabin, okay?" And with that she bolted up the path, running as fast as she could, feeling terribly embarrassed at getting caught.

"Yeah, okay," Tien muttered and got out of the water, toweling himself off before dressing quickly. His mind was racing, trying to figure out why she'd been gone for so long and to now suddenly just show up again. He walked up to the cabin, wondering what Sabriena would say, if she was mad at him. She certainly didn't sound mad. Maybe she just needed a few days to cool her temper or something. Who knew with women? He rounded the side of the cabin, seeing Sabriena sitting down in front of the fire she'd started. He smiled, "I was beginning to think I scared you off girl. You okay?"

She gave him a confused look. "Scared me off?" she asked and got to her feet. She had no idea what he was talking about. "Tien, I'm sorry I missed some training. That poison ivy about killed me. It was in my throat! I could hardly breathe. I spent almost a week in bed." She looked really worried. "I'm so sorry. Please, let me start training again. I'm all healed up - I would've called, but... you know, can't really do that seeing as how you don't have a phone. I really wasn't trying to blow you off."

Tien chuckled at her, relief washing over him, "Relax. I didn't realize you breathed it in or I would have sent you home myself. Its good that you stayed in bed and got well. It would have been a step back if you had been out here trying to train with that slowing you down." He sat down, "You have any of that rash left. I could make you more salve if you want? If not, how about some breakfast before we start for the day?"

"I'm all healed up," she said, giving him a soft smile. "And breakfast sounds good. But I ain't going out in the woods to find it!"

He snickered at her and started fixing them some coffee over the open fire.

Sabriena shifted as she watched Tien fix their coffee. "So, uh, are you going to the baby shower on Friday? Cause if you are, I was gonna say we could go together. I could pick you up if you want."

Tien laughed warmly, his heart jumped at the thought, "Sure." He cringed inwardly, hoping he didn't sound too eager, "That sounds good. I don't really do the party thing, but I mean it is for Gohan's kid and all." He cleared his throat. "What time should I be ready?"

"Uh, about noon-ish? I think the party starts at two..." She was thankful he agreed. She didn't want to go by herself. "I already bought them a gift. If you want, I can put your name on the card. I... I kind'a went a little crazy. That's what I get for laying in bed for a week and going shopping online."

Tien chuckled and shook his head, "Nah, that's okay. I made a quilt for the crib. They'll need that, right?" He'd used some of the rabbit pelts he had stored away to stitch together a baby-sized quilt. They were soft and warm, perfectly good too keep a young baby happy through the night. It just needed a bit more work and it would be done. He could work on it later after they had finished for the day.

"Oh really? You know how to do that?" Sabriena paused, "I shouldn't be surprised. You know how to make everything." She smiled at him, "I think they'd like that. It would definitely be a unique gift!" She sipped the coffee he offered. "You sure you're not mad at me for missing training? I feel lousy."

Tien smiled at her, "No. You came back and that's the important thing. You said it yourself, you weren't well, but don't think I'm going to go easy on you now." He grinned at her, "We have a lot to make up for." He sighed inwardly. He believed her; the rash had been bad and if she had inhaled any of it, she would have been miserable. He paused for a moment before he asked, "You would tell me if it was something I did and you never wanted to come back, right?

She blinked at him. "Tien, after all the crap you've made me do out here, all the work you make me do, I don't think there's anything you could do to make me want to leave and never come back." She snickered, "If that was the case, I would've left a LONG time ago."

Tien looked away to hide the small smile that pulled at his lips and he nodded.

Sabriena sighed. "I'm not going anywhere," she said. "Not unless you're planning on throwing me out." She leaned against his strong bicep and batted her eyes up at him. "You're not planning on that, are you?"

Tien jumped and turned to see her big eyes staring up at his. He swallowed, looking down at her. Gods above help him. He chuckled at her, "Of course not. We've come a long way. I can't throw out my favorite student. " He leaned back against her, playfully shoving her off of him, before leaning away turning back to the fire pit, "You'll be ready for energy blasts soon. But after I make sure you haven't forgotten how to throw that left hook since you've been bed ridden."

"Well," Sabriena said, finishing off her coffee and getting quickly to her feet. "Let's get to it."


	19. Grandma Arthusia

Sabriena strolled into the cabin at about noon, just as she'd said she would, wearing a pretty light yellow summer dress and high-heeled sandals. She paused when she saw Tien in his blue tunic and bright white pants. "Well, look at you," she grinned, her hands on her hips, "You clean up pretty good. Who knew?" she teased.

Tien was about to make a snide comment, turning around to face her, but his breath caught in his throat. She looked stunning, her eyes were that wonderful amber, golden and warm. He coughed and picked up the plain brown package on the table that he was tied with plain twine, "I was about to say the same of you. I'd gotten so used to seeing you in your training outfit and dirt," he chuckled jokingly. "You look nice." He turned back to the table, tying up the gift he had for Gohan and Lindsey. Gods, Sabriena looked beautiful right now. He was doomed...

She beamed. "Why, thank you. You ready to go?"

He nodded and followed her out to her car. The back seat was piled high with brightly wrapped packages. "Told ya I went a little crazy with the shopping," she laughed as they got into the car.

"I thought you said you didn't like kids. I think you bought out the entire store." He said, looking at his simply wrapped gift in brown paper and twine. He was proud of it, simple, rustic. These gifts she got - frills and lace and bows and all kinds of colored paper. He shook his head, not knowing what to think.

"Well I had to buy boy and girl stuff since Lindsey won't find out what she's having! She can return whatever she doesn't need."

Silence fell between them as she drove the hovercar towards Gohan's house. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, unable to think of anything to talk about to break the pressing silence. Tien was pretty quiet anyway, but for him to say nothing at all was becoming uncomfortable.

'Say something, you idiot,' he thought to himself, looking out the window. It was so odd to him to be in a car. He hadn't ridden in one of them in ages. "So...ah...Good day for a drive. Should have flown, but I guess you couldn't have carried the department store with you."

Small talk? Really? She snickered. He looked tense and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. "Yeah, well, that's what happens when I'm bedridden and have a credit card and internet access." She glanced at him again, "So you gonna tell me why you're so nervous? You afraid of my driving skills or do you just really not want to go to this party? Your buddy Yamcha certainly didn't seem thrilled about it."

Tien chuckled, "Oh Yamcha's different. It's not a party for him unless he has at least six different drunken girls hanging off of his arms. Baby showers don't exactly fit into his style. Thinks it's just for the women." He smiled over at her, "And I'm nervous because this," he gestured around the car, "Isn't really my thing, I don't mind the party, but you know me...antisocial."

Sabriena shook her head. "We gotta work on that," she stated. She could see the mountain where Gohan and Lindsey lived - it wouldn't take long to get there now. She gasped, "I should take you out sometime! We could go clubbing." She jabbed his arm with her elbow. "Who knows? You might pick up a sexy lady to take home!" she giggled.

Tien made a face, "No thanks. I swore off on that after an outing with Yamcha. Call me old-fashioned, but it kind of puts me off when a drunken woman throws up in my lap."

Sabriena pulled a face. "Ewww."

"Exactly." He shook his head and stared out the window, "I prefer my mountains...my garden... The bears."

Sabriena shivered violently. "Effin' bears," she grumbled, hoping he didn't count that as a swear. "Oh well, it's not like I have time to go out to the bars anymore anyway. I've got this teacher I have to answer to every single morning. The guy's a slave-driver, I swear." She grinned at him, hoping her joke would lighten his mood a bit. She was so used to him being calm and confident. This nervousness that she could sense from him was unnerving.

Tien laughed at her, his voice a deep baritone filling the car. He loved that about her; she was witty, sharp as a tack. He leaned back in the seat. He was glad that the car was big enough for his large frame. He hated feeling like a sardine. He relaxed, this was no different than spending a day at the cabin. He reached over and ruffled her hair, "Twerp." But he smiled at her, "Careful what you say, the slave driver might add on too your training workload."

"Ah! My hair!" she shrieked and leaned away from him. She pulled down the visor and checked her reflection in the little mirror, smoothing a few pieces back into place. "Oh, you are SO lucky," she growled. Her car lowered to hover above the road that led up the long drive to the house. "You're gonna pay for that when we train next time."

"What are you going to do, mess up my hair?" He drug his hand over his bald head.

She pressed her lips together and sighed through her nose. Just her luck, he was finally talking and now they were nearly at the house. "Can we just, you know, throw the presents at them and leave? Piccolo's gonna be here... and Vegeta... and Chichi..." Sabriena shuddered.

He looked over at the house at the end of the road, "Piccolo's not so bad. I think you already know Vegeta and I don't get along. And Chichi..." He sighed and shook his head, "Don't you dare repeat this to anyone, but I can't stand that woman. I don't know how Goku does it."

Sabriena's eyes went wide and she said emphatically, "I KNOW, RIGHT?! Oh my god, I can't stand to be around her. Oh! She just..." Sabriena made an exaggerated twitching motion. "Poor Goku, having to put up with her." Her car slowed as they neared the house, other cars already parked there. "Looks like everyone beat us here," she said as she turned the car off. She turned in her seat to look at him. "And don't say Piccolo's not so bad. He and I get along about as well as you and Vegeta." She got out of the car and started grabbing packages out of the backseat.

Tien snorted and got out of the car, helping her pick up the gifts, placing his on top of the pile and picking it up. "Fair enough. He taught me a couple of the meditation techniques I've been teaching you. My delivery is more interesting I think." He winked at her and moved to hold the door open for her into the house, "Lets try not to make anyone mad and we can get out unscathed."

Sabriena nodded and entered the house. Just as she'd suspected, everyone was already there.

Gohan greeted them. "Glad you guys could make it," Gohan smiled.

Tien smiled at Gohan, "Hey kid. Where did you want the truckload Sabriena got you?"

Gohan laughed. "OH gosh, Sabriena, you didn't need to do that!"

She shrugged, "You know me with a credit card."

Gohan pointed to a corner of the living room where other gifts were already piled high. "You can set them over there." He cringed as he heard his wife and his mother in the kitchen. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's never going to end."

"Chichi, I said no shower games!" Lindsey whined, her voice carrying from the kitchen.

"You can't have a proper shower without games!" she protested.

Lindsey appeared in the living room a minute later, huffing and waving her hands in an irritated sort of way. She smiled when she saw Sabriena standing next to the large pile of presents everyone had brought in.

"Oh my god, you're huge," Sabriena breathed.

"Yeah, that happens," Lindsey laughed and hugged her. "Tien! You came, too! I'm so glad you guys could make it."

Tien set down the gifts next to the other ones before turning and smiling at Lindsey. "You're looking great. Though Sabriena's right, what are you having, twins?" He snickered, his eyes flickering over her large belly.

Goku came into the room holding a few more gifts and put them down, beaming over at Lindsey, "Its just that little Saiyan in there. I think he must be stock piling all the food, smart kid!" He went over to Lindsey and gently put his hands on her belly leaning down, saying softly, "Grandpa loves you kiddo."

Lindsey beamed. "NO TWINS!" She laughed.

"Yeah, yeah," Gohan muttered, sounding slightly disappointed.

"One is enough," Lindsey said and kissed her husband.

"You dodged that bullet," Sabriena snickered, helping herself to a glass of punch that was sitting out. She handed one to Tien. "C'mon, let's find a place to sit," she said, tugging on his elbow. The living room had been lined with chairs to accommodate so many guests. Sabriena pulled Tien down in a chair next to her. "Please, if there is a god above, Chichi won't make us play stupid shower games..."

Tien took a sip of his drink, agreeing with Sabriena, "Think we can make a run for it if she does?" He shook his head. Babies. That was something he could do without. And games about babies? Even more. He felt kind of giddy, letting Sabriena leading him about. It was definite progress, he was elated that he hadn't scared her off and if friendship was all he could hope for, then so be it. But damned if he didn't wish the age gap between them was shorter. He smiled over at Lindsey, Gohan was sitting next to her on the couch, looking proud and nervous at the same time. Poor kid. A demanding pregnant wife didn't seem like fun to him. And Goku – it might as well be his wife that was having the kid for how excited he was.

Lindsey was watching Goku, talking loudly with his friends, speculating on how strong the new baby would be, how good of a fighter, about training the baby when it was old enough. He was positively glowing with excitement. "Good lord, what's he going to do when the baby actually gets here?" Lindsey snickered quietly to Gohan.

Gohan shook his head, watching his dad. "I honestly think his head might explode." He wrapped his arm around Lindsey's shoulders. "I can't wait until he gets here," he said, rubbing his wife's belly.

"SHE," Lindsey insisted.

"HE."

"SHE."

"HE."

Catie groaned and leaned back against the couch, looking over at Jenny and Sabriena. "I'm so sick of listening to this argument between them."

Jenny snickered, "If you are really curious, we can go get Dende and have him tell you if its a he or she," she sipped at her punch snickering, "I'm just glad its not me this time. No third kiddo for me thanks."

"Why didn't Dende make it?" Gohan asked, looking slightly disappointed that his friend wasn't present.

"You know Dende," Jenny sighed. "He says the world won't wait. He's doing his guardian thing."

Tien just chuckled at it all and wondered when it was he could slip out that he wouldn't be noticed. He didn't have a problem with most of the people here, but women on edge put him on edge, namely Chichi who was snipping at someone else in another room of the house. He reminded himself that this was important to Goku and Gohan. He could put up with that for them. Though, all he really wanted to do was go back home with Sabriena and get back to training.

"Chichi, we promised her no games!" Bulma hissed.

"Well it just doesn't seem right," Chichi snapped, crossing her arms.

Bulma rolled her eyes, "NO ONE likes shower games. Now help me pass the cake around."

Chichi huffed, but picked up plates of cake and carried them to the living room. After everyone had enjoyed their desserts, Chichi stood and was just getting ready to announce a shower game, but Bulma cut her off. "Let's let them open their gifts!" and she promptly shoved a package into Gohan's lap.

"Oh, thanks Bulma," Gohan said and picked up the card attached to the top. He ripped the card open and went to read it. He squinted his eyes and held the card as far away from him as he could, then brought it closer. He sighed and handed it to his wife. "I can't read it," he muttered.

She gave him a sad frown. "You're gonna have to get your eyes checked, baby. This is getting bad. I'll make you an appointment for next week."

Tien watched on as they went through the gifts, Lindsey reading out the names and Gohan opening them and displaying them to the room. Goku sat on the floor in front of them pulling the gifts over to them. He grasped Tien's simply wrapped gift and passed it on to Gohan. Tien tried to hide his growing smile when they opened up his gift and looked inside.

"Oh my gosh," Lindsey breathed at the beautiful blanket. She ran her fingers over it. "It's so soft! Tien, where did you get this?"

"He probably made it," Gohan said softly.

Lindsey's eyes widened and she looked over at Tien. "You made this?" She pulled it from Gohan's lap and unfolded it, running her hands over the soft fur. "It's beautiful! Dad, feel this," she said, holding out a corner of the blanket to Goku.

Gohan smiled over at Tien, "Thank you."

Tien beamed inside and smiled over at her, "I made it from rabbit skins I've been saving. Should keep the little guy warm and happy for a while." He chuckled as he watch Goku feel the corner of it, his eyes lighting up,

"Oh wow Tien! This is amazing! Its so soft," Goku said, running his thumb over the corner of the quilt. "How did you…"

Chichi's screeching interrupted whatever else he might have been about to say, "Are you insane? You can't put that flea infested thing in a babies crib! What about all of those diseases those things carry! You want your kid to end up with rabies?!"

Lindsey and Gohan blinked widely at Chichi's outburst. "Moooom," Gohan whined. "Don't be rude like that."

Lindsey threw her head back and laughed, "Honestly, Chichi! You worry about the silliest stuff! There's nothing wrong with this!" She calmed her laugh and smiled at Tien, "Thank you. I will be MORE than happy to use this blanket."

Sabriena was scowling at Chichi. Didn't she know how much time and effort Tien had put into that? She'd seen him tanning the hides from his hunting trips - it was no easy process. Especially the rabbits, their pelts tore so easily if you weren't careful. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Bitch," she muttered under her breath.

Tien opened his mouth to say something but then closed it, feeling a slow boil in his blood at Chichi's words. "I'll let you have that one," he muttered to Sabriena before drinking from his cup. What on earth did Goku see in that woman? He really couldn't figure it out. Maybe she was this sweet thing to him, but damn if she didn't have her thorns to the rest of them. Not that he'd ever seen Chichi be sweet to Goku, all yelling and nagging. There had to be something there they weren't seeing.

He watched as Goku totally ignored Chichi and beamed, pulling over a bigger present, the last one. "Guess you two will be needing this to hold that blanket!" He and Gohan had picked out this gift especially for Lindsey.

Gohan grinned as Lindsey tore the wrapping paper away. "Oh my god!" she cried when she saw the beautiful crib. She pressed her hands to her face, marveling at the picture on the side of the huge box. "Oh my god, it's perfect!" She pressed her lips fiercely to Gohan's then leaned far over to hug Goku. "Oh my gosh, you guys! I love you!" She sat back and admired it again, tears welling in her eyes. She fanned her face with her hands, "Stupid hormones." She calmed herself for a moment before looking around at all of their friends. "Thank you all so much. For everything."

Gohan couldn't help but laugh at his dad who had already opened the box and set aside the instructions. "That's a lot of pieces," Gohan chuckled and got to his knees next to his dad. He picked up the instructions and squinted at them. "Damn," he muttered and set them back down.

Goku leaned over and took the instructions, "Come on, we can get this thing together no problem! Should we take it in the other room to set up? Or is right here okay?" He looked at the instructions. It didn't look too hard, but he'd never put a crib together.

"We can put it together down here," Gohan said.

Tien was impressed by the crib. The wood was beautiful; it almost reminded him of something he might make on his own.

The girls picked up the wrapping paper to throw away as Chichi and Bulma started carrying gifts up to the nursery, grumbling at each other over the shower games once more.

Lindsey's phone rang loudly and she pulled it out of her pocket and groaned. "Oh, what does SHE want?" She pressed the phone to her ear, "Hello?... Oh! Hi! What are you doing calling from this number?"

Catie gave Lindsey a curious glance as the room went quiet.

"Uh-huh... Uh, I'm living in Japan now, remember? I'm not at the old house... You're here in JAPAN?... Oh... Uh, okay... L-love you, too... Bye." Lindsey set her phone in her lap, looking absolutely horrified.

"Lins?" Gohan asked nervously.

"Grandma's coming to visit," she said.

Sabriena's and Jenny's eyes lit up. "GRANDMA!" Sabriena cried, throwing her arms in the air.

Tien looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. She didn't seem to notice.

Lindsey fixed her with an irritated stare, "She's got my sisters with her." She closed her eyes tightly, "Jenny, hide me."

Jenny laughed. "Oh my god, it's been forever since I've seen your grandmother! I'm excited!" She was bouncing in her seat, Piccolo scooting slightly away from her. She turned to him, her eyes wide, "Whaaaaat?"

He slowly shook his head. "You think I'd be used to you by now."

She snickered and mock-slapped his arm. "You adore me and you know it."

A tiny smile pulled at his lips and he said nothing.

Goku was reading the instructions to the crib aloud to Gohan and tilting the paper this way and that, "So, side b goes into side c and then...ah...screws...Ah...Here?" He pointed to a part.

Chichi sighed annoyedly, "Goku, you're doing it all wrong. Can't you read?! I mean it should be in plain English, what are you, stupid?! That crib doesn't look sturdy enough anyway, are you sure you did enough research before you bought the thing?!" She watched as her husband handed her son the wrong part again, "My god, Goku. What are you doing?! Can't you do anything right?!

He smiled happily, "Relax Chichi, we got this!"

Lindsey was unconcerned with the crib or her mother-in-law's nagging. "If there is an ounce of sense in any of you, you will RUN before they get here."

"They really that bad?" Seventeen chuckled, throwing an arm around Leelee.

Lindsey glared at him. "They are whores spawned by Satan himself."

"Lindsey, watch your mouth!" Chichi snapped.

Lindsey squeezed her eyes shut. Between Chichi and her sisters about to arrive on her doorstep at any moment, she thought she might scream.

Sabriena sat back casually, slurping her punch. "This is why I'm glad I am an only child. Don't have to put up with this shi... crap." She eyed Tien nervously, but he seemed to have missed her near slip.

Catie cocked an eyebrow at her and sat back down next to Trunks. She'd never known Sabriena to censor herself.

"Have you met her sisters?" Trunks asked Catie quietly.

"Briefly," Catie answered, pursing her lips, remembering the wedding. She didn't like them much then and she was fairly certain they hadn't changed in a year. She wrinkled her nose, "They seemed like bitches to me."

Lindsey nodded emphatically, looking a little green.

Sabriena watched Goku and Gohan struggle with the crib for a few minutes more. It was looking terribly crooked and definitely not safe for a baby. She grabbed Tien's shoulder and pulled him down closer to her. "Maybe you should help them," she said softly in his ear. "You're the only one who's good at this type of stuff. Please? Before Chichi starts shrieking again..."

Tien shivered at the way her lips brushed the outside of his ear and he nodded, silently smiling inwards. Even if he couldn't have, or at least try this relationship in real life, he could imagine what it would be like and he liked that idea very much so far. Gods, did she have to smell so good? Did she have to lean in that close when she whispered to him? Trying not to sigh, he stood up and handed his drink to Sabriena before he went over to Goku and Gohan on the floor, sitting next to them and taking the instructions from Goku. He quickly instructed them to take it apart and start from the beginning. As they were working on it, he wondered about Lindsey's sisters and grandmother, wondering what was so bad about them that she trembled in fear. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Your sisters can't be that bad."

Lindsey just covered her face with her hands. There was a loud thump outside and she sat up straight. "Was that a car door?! That was a car door. Oh god," she whined.

Everyone didn't have long to wonder what her sisters were like. The door flew open and in walked two breathtakingly beautiful women. Both were tall and slender - one with incredibly short, bright red hair, the other with long, blonde curls.

"Hi Kenna," Lindsey muttered, "Hi McKenzie."

Both girls gasped and rushed to Lindsey, kneeling down in front of her, pushing Gohan and Tien out of their way. Both men looked rather cross and scooted over a bit.

"Rude," Gohan muttered under his breath.

Catie scowled at them.

"Oh my god, you poor thing!" the redhead gushed to Lindsey.

"You look terrible!" the blonde added.

Lindsey furrowed her eyebrows. Oh god, here it came. The way her sisters spoke, overlapping each other's sentences as if they shared the same brain. When they got going, it was nearly impossible to tell which one was saying what.

"You got so fat."

"That's okay, don't worry, we-"

"know a plastic surgeon. Best in the business. He can-"

"fix you right up after that thing comes out."

"He could even fix your nose!"

Lindsey sat up again, touching her nose with her fingertips. "My nose? What's wrong with my nose?"

The redheaded sister poked the bridge of her younger sister's nose. "That bump. Right there. He can-"

"file that down in an instant. You know there's-"

"a special right now. Free botox with any-"

"major surgery. Here, I've got his number."

"What the hell kind of plastic surgeon has a buy one get one free deal?!" Lindsey shrieked.

Sabriena snorted into her punch and turned her face away, trying not to spill anything on herself.

"That's enough, you two!" came a stern voice.

Everyone's attention was drawn from the babbling twins to the elderly woman standing in the doorway. She was about Lindsey's height with long, wavy black hair that had streaks of grey in it. She wore a wide-brimmed black hat and was dressed in a black dress with a matching shawl. Her fingers were covered with silver rings and she carried a large black purse. Her piercing stare roamed over everyone in the room before it fell on her granddaughters. "You two go get your bags out of the car. NOW."

Kenna and McKenzie grumbled as they got to their feet and headed back outside.

"We are so calling that surgeon," Kenna muttered to her twin.

The blonde nodded enthusiastically and the elderly woman slammed the door behind them.

Goku looked on with a curious interest. This woman that walked in the door, she commanded a lot of attention and yet he liked her for some reason. There was something about her that just stuck to him that made him feel like he was safe, even if she appeared a bit intimidating.

Grandma marched over to the couch where Lindsey was sitting. "Show some respect, young man," Grandma said to Trunks. "I'm an old woman and this has been a very long trip."

"Of course!" Trunks said and jumped up to offer her his seat next to Lindsey and moved to sit on the arm of the couch on Catie's other side.

Grandma sat back and fixed Lindsey with an intense stare. "I spent hours in that car with your sisters. I'm ready to hex 'em both."

Jenny was up on her feet the moment Grandma sat down on the couch and she walked over her arms wide and wrapped them around the elderly woman, "Oh my gods gramma! I missed you! What are you doing here?! For Lindsey's baby shower?!"

"Jenny, darling!" Grandma smiled and hugged her back. "Oh, it's been ages." She pulled back and held Jenny's shining face in her hands. Her smile widened. "You're happy," she stated. Jenny gave a nod. She released Jenny and pulled her to sit on the floor in front of her. "Now, as to why I'm here. I'm afraid I'm a bit late for the shower. But don't you worry about that. I'm not leaving until that baby is born."

Lindsey seemed to choke. "Uh, grandma, baby's not due for two more months!"

Grandma looked at her as if she was stupid. "I know that. And don't you worry, dear. I have everything we need to deliver the baby."

Gohan sat down next to Lindsey again. Tien had pretty well taken over assembling the crib and he was only getting in the way. "Uh, do what?"

Grandma squared her shoulders and poked Lindsey's belly. "I'll deliver this boy, same as I did all the rest of my grandchildren."

Lindsey's eyes went wide. "No. No, no, no, no, no, Grandma. I have a doctor."

Grandma scoffed. "Not anymore, you don't."

Lindsey shook her head in bewilderment. "And we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet."

"Well now you do," Grandma said matter-of-factly. "It's a boy. You know better than to question me. If I say you're having a boy, it's a boy."

Jenny laughed out loud despite herself. She'd known Lindsey's grandma since she was little. She smiled widely now, "A boy huh? Always the rebel, Lindsey." She winked and smiled, leaning her head on Grandma's knees, closing her eyes as grandma stroked her hair soothingly. Gods, it was just like when she was little. She let out a breath of air feeling herself fall into the comfort that always seemed to surround her, "You're only here until the baby's born? You should come see my children at the Lookout. My newborn is named after my gramma."

"I would love to," Grandma grinned, grabbing Jenny's chin for a moment and staring into her eyes. "I've always loved the name Alice. And you were always my favorite."

"What the hell am I, chopped liver?" Sabriena cried.

Grandma looked up. "Oh, there's trouble," she chuckled.

Sabriena bounded over to Grandma and squeezed herself on the little bit of lap that Lindsey had left.

"You're lucky you're so little," Lindsey growled.

"Sabriena," Gohan said in a worried voice.

"Oh hush, Gohan, she's fine."

Grandma ran her fingers through Jenny's long hair again and placed her other hand on Sabriena's knee. "You're still trying to get rid of that good-for-nothing boyfriend of yours," Grandma stated, staring intently into Sabriena's eyes.

Sabriena squirmed in Lindsey's lap. "Eh… yeah…"

Grandma pursed her lips and shook her head.

Tien couldn't help but listen intently now. How long had it been since Sabriena had seen this old woman? Did she speak to her often? He couldn't recall Sabriena ever mentioning her before. He strained his ears, trying to listen as Grandma spoke softer.

"A little horehound herb might help with that," she said, narrowing her eyes intently, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Fresh out," Sabriena muttered.

A smirk pulled at Grandma's lips and she laughed. "Still sharp as ever."

Sabriena gave a small smile and giggled.

Grandma turned her attention back to Jenny, still threading her fingers through her hair. "Now, what's this place? The Lookout?"

Jenny's face lit up, but Lindsey cut across her impatiently. "Grandma, I really think I should have the baby at the hospital," she pressed. She could've smacked her friends for acting so childlike.

"Nonsense," Grandma retorted. "There's nothing medical about this!" She shifted a little, turning towards Lindsey. "Women have been birthing babies since the dawn of time and didn't need doctors and fancy hospitals. And neither do you! May I remind you, I delivered all ten of you grandchildren and each and every one of you turned out just fine!"

"Grandma, Mom died giving birth to me! That's not exactly encouraging!" Lindsey cried.

Grandma scowled. "That was a matter beyond anyone's control. She would've died in a hospital, too. Now don't you start. You're having that baby here, and that's that."

Gohan felt his stomach twist up in knots. He could see there was no arguing with this woman. She commanded respect and the whole house seemed to swell with her presence. Indeed, every person seemed focused on her as she spoke.

"Now," she said loudly, looking around at the guests gathered in the room. "I expect you will all be joining us for Beltane tomorrow night?"

Tien looked over, pausing in helping Goku assemble the crib. "Beltane?" He'd never heard that word in his life. "Whats Beltane?" He looked over at Sabriena and Jenny, who were fawning over the grandmother. Jenny was practically purring with the way the grandmother combed through her hair, her head on the woman's lap. Sabriena - he'd never seen her like that. Even after the short, but obviously uncomfortable talk about her ex, Sabriena was now staring at the old woman with rapt attention, and admiration and excitement in her eyes. When the grandmother fixed him with a curious look, he turned back quickly to his work with Goku, easily directing him to building the crib correctly. Something about that look unsettled him.

"Beltane is a Sabbat. One of the eight holy days that make up the wheel of the year. It is a day to celebrate the wedding of the Goddess. It's a time to welcome the abundance of the earth, bountiful crops and new life," Grandma answered. "It's a fertility holiday. And we celebrate it with dancing and jumping the fire and a feast."

Goku lit up like the sun, turning to look at Grandma again. "A feast?! Oh yeah! Alright! We'll be there for sure!" He grinned excitedly, but frowned when Tien smacked the back of his head. Goku couldn't help but snicker and picked up the last part of the crib, fitting it together. "Wow! Look at it Lindsey! Pretty amazing, isn't it!?"

Grandma smiled at the crib. "Well done, you two. Now take that upstairs and everyone clear out. I need some time with my granddaughter and her husband. And I expect everyone to be here at seven o'clock sharp, tomorrow evening!"

Without question, everyone got to their feet, preparing to leave, realizing they'd been dismissed from the party.

"Oh, and don't forget!" Grandma said as they headed for the door. "Clothing is optional!"

Lindsey's eyes went wide, "GRAMMA!"


End file.
